


Again Chapter 1

by Crisi TM (CrisiTM)



Category: Southern Vampire Mysteries - Charlaine Harris
Genre: Again, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-09
Updated: 2011-08-09
Packaged: 2017-10-19 05:23:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 41,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/197364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrisiTM/pseuds/Crisi%20TM
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sookie was shot by Debbie Pelt and amnesiac Eric decides to turn her. What happens when Eric regains his memories? Eric/Sookie</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**A/N This is a sequel to my story “Never Again”. I decided to continue my story because a lot of people liked it and demanded a sequel. This story will begin with EPOV, so we will understand his behavior better.**

 **Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, alerted or faved my story, you guys are so great!**

 **Huge thanks to everyone who voted for my story.**

 **  
_Many thanks to my dear Beta, All About Eric for her patience and support while writing this._   
**

**  
  
**

**Also: none of these characters belong to me, they belong to Charlaine Harris.**

 

 

 **On with the story.**

 

We approached Sookie’s home and she took the key from her purse to open the door.  The door to my Sanctuary.  It seemed that a lifetime had passed since Sookie found me in the middle of the road running towards nowhere.  So much had happened since then…she had become the centre of my universe, the love of my life… well, existence, since I can’t say I’m really alive… I _hope she comes to love me too; I can’t imagine being without her.  She is so brave and selfless and beautiful…will I ever be able to regain my memories?  A thousand years’ worth of memories. Will she like me better when I’m myself, with my memories intact, or is the only reason she likes me now because I’m not really myself…?  If that is the case, then I hope I never get my memories back because having her, being with her, is worth much more than my memories; much more than anything._

 

She was already inside the house, I had to end my musings and…. What was that smell?  Were?  Shifter?

 

“Sookie!” I roared.

 

But it was already too late, I heard the gun unload and I smelled my lover’s sweet blood!   _How dare this Were hurt my lover_!  I felt the pain that the bullet was causing to Sookie and I jumped on the bitch’s neck.   _I’m going to drain this bitch!_  So I let myself be taken over by anger.   _I want the bitch’s blood, I want her dead!_  All I was thinking of was how to drain her faster…

 

“Errri….”

 

I thought I heard something but it was not strong enough to penetrate my bloodlust haze.

 

“Eric.”  I heard a small voice calling; my lover’s voice.

 

I dropped the Were and rushed to my Sookie.  There was so much blood...she was so pale and her eyes were filled with pain…Waves of rage shot through me; _I could kill the bitch over and over again!_  But that was not helping Sookie.   _What should I do?_  Her eyes were closing …

 

“Sookie, no, NOOO!  SOOKIE!!!” I shouted.

 

 _I don’t know how to help her, should I call anyone?  Should I give her my blood?  I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO!_  I tried to lift her off the cold floor...

 

„Aaaa!” she whimpered in pain.

 

Maybe I shouldn’t move her.  What can I do?

 

“Doctoooorr...” the whisper was so low that I could barely hear it.

 

 _A doctor!  Where I can find a doctor?  Is there a hospital near?  Or should I call?  But where should I get the number for a doctor?  How the hell am I gonna find a doctor?!!!_

 

„How do I find a doctor?  Where do I find a doctor?” I yelled at her.  “Tell me what to do Sookie!!!  You’re dying!”

 

She rolled her eyes and her head fell to the side as if she had not enough energy to hold it up any more.  Her breathing became shallower, and I felt through the little bond that we were sharing that she was weakening.

 

“Sookie, please, tell me what to do!  Lover, don’t die on me, you’re all I’ve got!... Sookie, please...I love you,” I pleaded.

 

Hot tears gathered behind my eyelids.   _I can’t lose her!  She is my heart, she’s all my life.  I CAN’T LOSE HER!_

 

“Sookie, pleeeaassse!” I cried.

 

She opened her eyes again, and they were full of love:

 

„Pammm,”... she whispered.

 

 _Finally, something I can do!_  I jumped to the table and grabed the phone.  I dialed the number that Pam gave me the first night she came to Sookie’s house, in case I needed her.  It rang once and then I heard Pam’s bored tone:

 

„Sookie, I’m kinda busy right now with the torturing and...”

 

„Pam, Sookie’s been shot, she’s losing a lot of blood, her heartbeat is very weak and she says she needs a doctor!”  I shouted into the phone.

 

„Eric, are you all right?  Where is Sookie?” she replied in a much humbler tone.

 

„She is right here with me...” I went back to her side while speaking to Pam.

 

„Sookie!” I called her.

 

No reply.  Sookie must have lost consciousness while I was talking with Pam.  Her hearbeat has almost stopped.

 

„Pam, her heart has almost stopped!  What can I do?!”

 

„Well, it’s too late for a doctor then.  The only way to save her now would be to bring her over, but I strongly recommend that you don’t.  We’ve got the witch’s brother and soon the spell will be broken, and even though you like Sookie very much when you are yourself, I know that you would not tie yourself to her for eternity.  You have to let her go, Eric.”

 

„NO!!! How can you even suggest this?!  I can’t let her die!  I love her!”

 

Rage coursed through my veins, combined with pain.  I couldn’t lose my Sookie.

 

„I’m going to bring her over,” I decide.  „How do I do that, Pam?”

 

„Eric, really that is not a good idea...”

 

„PAM!  HOW DO I TURN HER?”

 

„OK, then, but you will come to regret this!” she huffed.  „You must first drain her almost completely and then you must fill her with your blood.  I will be there to help you bury her by the time you’re finished feeding her.”

 

I threw the phone on the floor and lifted my lover in my arms.   _She is so beautiful and innocent... will she hate me for this?  Nevertheless, I can’t just watch her die._ So I sank my fangs into her beautiful neck and drained the little blood that still remained in her veins.  Her heartbeat was so weak that I had to stop very soon.  I opened my wrist and put it to her mouth.  With my other hand I began massaging her throat so she would swallow my blood.  The process was so slow...I opened my wrist three more times and then Pam burst through the door.  She looked around the kitchen with a critical eye, assesing all the blood and the dead Were in a corner.

 

„Well now, this is my kind of a party!  Why wasn’t I invited?”

 

„Pam, enough!  You must tell me what to do now!” I snapped at her.

 

She came closer and put a hand on Sookie’s chest.

 

„There’s not much you can do now.  We will dig a grave at the back of the house and put her in it and then we’ll wait.  In three days she shoud rise a vampire, if everything is alright...”

 

„What do you mean, ‚if everything is alright’? You are telling me that something can go wrong?”

 

“Yes, something always can go wrong; the turning might not be successful.  I’ve seen some cases…Well, too late to worry about that, we must dig the grave now.”

 

We got out through the back door and found some shovels in a little building near the house, and we began to dig.  We had a pretty good hole in no time and I walked back inside the house to bring my Sookie.  My heart was so heavy in my chest, I felt like I was dying.   **Again**.  I looked at her face and hoped that I would see it again, animated with emotions… smiling, laughing, her eyes sparkling with love and joy…her hand around me, holding me to her, ravaging my hair…

 

“Eric we really need to bury her now!”  I heard Pam telling me.

 

 _What does she know about how I feel?  What does she know about how it feels to lose everything you care about, everything you love, the only_ _person that matters to you…?_   _If I could die my final death so that Sookie could live, I would not hesitate a moment._

 

I placed my sweet burden in the grave and tears started flowing down my face.

 

“My beautiful lover, come back to me, please!”  I whispered into her hair.

 

Pam came closer to the grave, gave me a small smile and said:

 

“Sometimes the transition is easier if the maker goes into the grave together with his future child…”

 

I didn’t waste another moment.  I jumped into the grave, laying myself behind Sookie, holding her to my chest.   _I will give her all my strength, all my love; she will feel me there with her and maybe she will not fear this new life that awaits her._

 

Pam started filling the grave.

 

“I’ll see you both in three nights, Master. I’ll come with some True Blood; I don’t think Sookie would accept a donor so soon.  Maybe the spell will be broken by then and everything will be back to normal…”

 

I closed my eyes as the dirt began to cover me.  How many things had changed in so little time…?  I remembered how scared Sookie was on the night she found me, and still, she took me to her home, washed my feet and asked her brother to buy me clothes and True Blood.  She was so brave, my little fighter.  And how she tried to keep me safe from the witches, how she cared for me and held my hand, and…

 

I don’t know how long I was thinking but at some point I felt the day take me.

 

 

I woke up knowing exactly who I was, but without any idea where I was, what I was doing covered in dirt and next to… _wait I know this smell... it’s Sookie's… But something is different about her…._ All the dots joined up and I realized that we were in a grave and I must have turned Sookie. What the hell?  _How has this happened?_  My anger rose inside of me.  I started making my way out of this grave; _I really hate sleeping in the ground_. I was sitting on top of the grave in no time.  The last thing I remembered was sitting in my office with Pam, Chow and the witches. _Chow jumped on one of the witches and… and then I woke up here! Did the witches curse me? Pam should know!_ I ran my hands over my body looking for my cell phone.   _What the hell am I wearing? Where did this junk come from?  Shit! I can’t find my phone._  I used my Maker-child connection to call for Pam.   _She’d better have a good explanation for this!_

 

I made my way inside the house and headed to the fridge.  I took one bottle of True Blood and put it in the microwave.  I hated this shit, but it would have to suffice.  The smell in the kitchen was really vile.  It was stinking of Were and death, but somewhere behind all that was a very sweet and aromatic smell.  Sookie’s blood.

 

 _It must have been a fight, Sookie must have been hurt pretty badly… that must be the reason I had to turn her… but why can’t I remember any of this?  I hate not knowing!_ The microwave’s ding interrupted my musings. I took the bottle out of the microwave, shook it a little and drank it all. _I hate this vile stuff!_

 

I felt Pam coming closer, so I headed outside and crossed my arms over my chest.   _My child had better tell me everything!_

 

She zipped to stand in front of me with vampire speed and sank to one knee:

 

“Master! It’s good to have you back!”

 

“Pam, what day is it today?”

 

“It’s Wednesday, Eric, why?”

 

“The last thing that I remember is talking to the witches in my office.  How long has it been since then?”

 

“It’s been six days, Master.”

 

“You will tell me everything that happened in this time.  Leave out nothing!”

 

She began to tell me a unbelievable story about me staying in Sookie’s house for my own protection, about how I fell in love with this stubborn breather.  She told me about the Witch War - _now, that would have been fun_ , and the Were bitch that shot Sookie.

 

“Pam, do not think of messing with me, I’m not in the mood to bear with your twisted sense of humor!  I want to know the truth!  Deliver it or I shall punish you!”

 

“Master, this is the truth! I swear it on my blood.” She met my eyes directly.

 

I felt from the bond that she was sincere _, but how can that be?  What she describes doesn’t seem at all like me.  It looks like a weak and lame HUMAN not a smart, devious VAMPIRE.  I will need to deal with this later; right now there are other matters to deal with._

 

“Is the Queen aware of any of this?” I asked my child.

 

“No, we did a good job by keeping all of this mess secret.”

 

“How is the business doing?  You said there has been an attack at the bar?”

 

“We have one dead waitress and one in hospital, but other than that I have dealt with everything and the bar runs as usual.  There are a lot of papers waiting for you, though…”

 

“Let’s go, then!  I will deal with this (and I point to the grave in front of us) later.  She is going to rise in two days, if at all, so there is plenty of time to think about that.  Meet me in my office!”  And with that I took to the sky.

 

The flight to Fangtasia was short and once there I went directly to my office.  Pam was right. A pile of papers was waiting for me on my desk. _First things first, I have to eat._  I called Clancy and told him to bring me a nice brunette.   _I had had enough of blondes lately_.  Pam came through the door and stared at the girl that Clancy brought to me.

 

“Are you willing to share?”

 

Everything is back to normal.

 

 

 

It had been two nights since I woke up in Bon Temps.  It was time for me to deal with my new child.  I had come to terms with Sookie’s turning. Even if I was not looking forward to training a newborn again, I thought that it was going to be very rewarding.   _Sookie is smart, feisty (I like my women feisty), loyal and brave.  I could have done a lot worse.  Not mentioning that she is talented (I hope her gift makes the transition).  She will be a great asset for a smart vampire such as myself._

 

I liked Sookie from the first moment I laid my eyes on her, she possessed such a strange combination of innocence and sexiness, she was beautiful and feisty, she was perfect.  I marveled to myself that I was gonna have her.   _Now she’s all mine!  I’m going to enjoy bending her to my will._

 

I called Pam and told her to meet me in Bon Temps and to bring some donors with her.  She seemed to think that this was not such a good idea, because Sookie was very sensitive about this stuff.   _Whatever!_  She would bring True Blood instead.  That was, in my opinion, a sacrilege!   _My child will have True Blood for her first meal.  Well fine, I will indulge her for now.  But she had better get over her sensibilities pretty soon.  She’s a vampire now. She had better get used to it!_

I took my car and drove to Fangtasia for a meal and then I flew to Bon Temps.  It wouldn’t be long before she rose.

 

Pam was already there waiting.

 

“No sign yet, maybe you’ll get lucky and she won’t rise at all.”

 

“I don’t know about that, Pam… Maybe it will be a good thing to have her at our side.  I will definitely enjoy her company in my bed.” I smirked. “You could use a little sister to care for.”

 

“Don’t even think about that!  You turned her; you should take care of her. Besides she doesn’t listen to anybody, she’s too stubborn.”

 

“That brings back some fond memories…” I chuckled. “You used to be pretty stubborn yourself Pam.  You still are.  Maybe it will be good to taste a little of your own medicine...”

 

“Humph”, Pam crossed her arms over her chest.  “I was never THAT stubborn,” she mumbled.

 

My disposition had lightened over the past two nights.   _I will be a good Maker to Sookie.  I pride myself on being a fair and honorable Master to everyone in my retinue and I was always a good Maker to Pam.  Even if Sookie will probably not be very happy about her turning, I will have patience and she will begin to like it in time.  Who wouldn’t like to be stronger, faster and immortal?  To never get sick or grow old… Immortality is a great gift and she will be grateful… Eventually…_

 

“Shouldn’t she be up by now?”  Pam was looking at her nails critically.  “I want to go to the salon once this is over.  I hate getting my hands dirty.  Digging dirt is no fun, I would rather…”

 

“Enough rambling Pam!  She should indeed be up by now.  Something must have gone wrong.  Are you positive that I fed her my blood?”

 

“Of course I’m positive!  I could smell your blood all over her when I got here.  Maybe she was too far gone when you started turning her...”

 

“We’ll wait a little longer and if nothing happens we’ll dig her out and see what happened.”

 

“Fine.  But just so you know, I’m gonna stay one hour tops. I have plans, you know…”

 

“You’ll stay no matter how long I ask you to Pam.”

 

“Yes Master!” she replied in her trademark bored tone.

 

I chuckled. Between Pam and Sookie, I would never get bored again!

 

Suddenly I felt a new bond opening inside me.  And it grew, and grew… it crushed me under its weight.  I sank to my knees.   _WHAT THE HELL?  What is this? This didn’t happen when I turned Pam.  Why is it this way now?_  I started feeling fear and pain through the new bond.  It was so strong that I felt it like it was mine. A wave of despair rushed through the bond directly into me, filling me up, dragging me under _… I can’t stand it!  I have lived a thousand years without any emotions and now this!  I hate emotions, I hate feelings; they make a vampire weak, pushing him until he meets his final death!  I won’t be weak!_

 

“Pam, deal with this!” I shouted and in the next moment I shot straight into the air.

 

I flew as fast as I could, trying to put some distance between me and the source of these EMOTIONS.

 

It seemed like an eternity, although I was sure it was just a few minutes but at some point all the feelings started to fade.  I landed somewhere near a lake.

 

  _What the hell was that?  How did I lose my control like that?  I am old and strong, how can a newborn child take hold of me like that?  I hate losing control!  I hate HER!  She’s been nothing but trouble since the first time I met her.  And now I’m tied to her forever?… I will not let her control me!_

I tried to steady myself and reached inside me where the new bond had formed.  I began slowly to close my end of the bond and it took all my strength to do it.  When I finally got the bond closed I took an unnecessary breath.  I needed blood!

 

I got to the air and got myself to a gas station _.  I’ll find something here.  I must!_

A young woman approached me.

 

“Excuse me, sir, can I help you?”

 

“As a matter of fact you can!”  I glamoured her and took her a little further away so no one could see us. I sank my fangs into her neck and drank until I had my fill.

 

“Run, leave and remember nothing of this!” I whispered in her ear.

 

She ran off, and I let out a sigh.  I began to feel better.  More like my usual self.

 

There was still the matter of Sookie… Rage started pouring through me when I thought of her.   _Who does she think she is?  She thinks that she can control me?  ME?  I am Eric Fucking Northman, Sheriff of Area Five! I am god in my little piece of Louisiana!  No one controls me!  Not even my maker!  And she is my child!_  

 

By then I was shaking with anger.  I took to the air and returned to Bon Temps.

 

I thought that I was gone for hours, but it appeared that it had not been long at all, a few minutes perhaps.  Pam was standing near Sookie trying to explain something.

 

“Look Sookie…” she tried to shout at Sookie.

 

“Pam, I’ll handle this, you may go,” I told her.

 

“Eric…”

 

“Leave, Pamela!”

 

Pam shot me a dirty look and left.  I stood before my newest child and I looked at her for the first time.   _She is beautiful!  Even more so than she used to be!_  She noticed me and whispered softly:

 

“Eric, baby…”

 

 _What did she call me?  Baby?  I am a thousand-year-old vampire AND her Maker and she calls me ‘baby’?_  My rage took hold of me again:

 

“Don’t ever call me that! I don’t know what happened during the time I spent at your house being cursed; Pam told me we seemed close, but hear this: you will never call me anything other than Master!  And you will tell me everything that happened in this last week!  Every single word, every single move, EVERYTHING!  And most of all, you will tell me why the hell I find myself as the Maker of the most exasperating woman I’ve ever met in my entire existence!”

 _That’s better!  I am in control!  Not her!_

She looked at me with pained eyes and whispered again:

 

“Eric...”

 

 _What the hell is wrong with her?  Can’t she understand that she needs to address me with more respect now?  After all she belongs to me, I am her master._

 

“Eric…” I heard her calling again.

 

Enough of this nonsense.  I did not have the time for this.  This had taken more time then I had originally planned, so we would have to settle things later.

 

“Eric…”

 

“Enough of this!” I roared.  “Let’s go, I have several things to do and the dawn is approaching!  You had better learn your place from the beginning because I’m not gonna tolerate any disrespect from you!  Needless to say, I’m not satisfied with this situation.  I don’t have the time or the disposition for training a newborn, and even if I had, you are not the type of child I would choose.  Well, too late now… We will meet at Fangtasia in one hour.  Use this time to gather everything you need - you will not be coming back to this shit-hole.  Take a shower and dress in something appropriate - not that you own anything even close to my idea of appropriate - and drive to Shreveport.  You will enter through the Employees’ door and come straight to my office.  Is everything clear?”

 

She nodded and I took my leave.  I had to inform the Queen that I had a new child and file the proper papers with the Authority; I had to put everything in order at Fangtasia, so Pam can handle everything by herself, since I will be occupied with this witty new child… There were a lot of things to be dealt with and very little time before dawn.

 

I had already decided that she would live at my place so I can better keep an eye on her.   _I hope she won’t be hard to live with… Who am I kidding?  Of course she will be hard to live with!  Look at all this trouble that she has caused and she just raised about an hour ago…_

 

I landed at the back of Fangtasia and I got straight to my office.  After I called the Queen and talked to my lawyer for almost an hour, I settled into my chair and tried to open the new bond a little, to see if she was already on her way here.  To my surprise she was still in Bon Temps and the feelings that I was getting from the bond were somehow disturbing… there was grief and despair and… and resolve…

 

 _She wouldn’t! … Of course she would!_

 

I ran through the back and took off immediately. _I’ll probably have to drain a couple of humans because of all this flying tonight._

 

I landed at the back of Sookie’s house but I knew she was not there.  I started following the bond and I saw her in the cemetery.  The sky was starting to change colors and I felt the pull of the sun as the day began.  She was crying and saying something towards the grave beneath her knees.  The words were too soft for me to hear from this distance and I didn’t have the time to spy on her anyway.  As I approached her I looked at the horizon were the sky had already begun to light up and I knew that I had to hurry if I didn’t want to meet the sun right along with my new stubborn child.

 

“You don’t follow orders very well, do you?”

 

TBC

 

 **Let me know what you think! I looooove my reviews! Also I would like for you to give me some suggestions about what powers Sookie will develop. Love you all.**

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	2. Again Chapter 2

Many thanks to my dear Beta, All About Eric for her patience and support while writing this.

Disclaimer: none of these characters belong to me, they belong to Charlaine Harris.

"You don't follow orders very well, do you?" I heard behind me.

I raised my gaze from my Gran's grave and turned my head. Eric. He'd found me, and he wouldn't let me die. Hadn't he hurt me enough? Did he have to take the peace of dying from me, too? Anger started rising inside me.

"Leave me alone! I don't want to be a vampire! Why are you here?" I snapped at him.

It seemed that my emotions were going wild; one moment I was deep in despair and the next I was so angry I could stake him!

"Spare me the drama, Sookie. When I give an order I expect it to be followed to the letter. But we don't have the time for this right now; I can already feel the pull of the sun. We must take shelter."

True to his words the first rays of sun started to appear at the horizon and smoke started to emerge from his skin. He zipped to me at vampire speed and threw me over his shoulder and before I could even squeal we were inside my house. I began struggling but it was of no use; his grip was unbreakable.

"Now, tell me, where is that light-tight place that Pam told me you had?" he asked in a commanding tone.

I huffed and kept my mouth shut stubbornly.

"No matter; I can find it by smell."

He began sniffing around and we were in the guest room in no time. He opened the door to the closet and said:

"Very clever, but painfully small. It will have to do for now."

He threw me into the hole and jumped right in after me. He carefully closed the closet door and then the hatch over us. It was so crowded in there, I could barely move. He carefully circled me with his arms and shifted us so I was resting on top of him. That brought back painful memories…

"I am surprised that you have not fallen dead for the day already. Newborns usually fall asleep much earlier than old vampires such as myself. Yet, although I feel the pull of the sun, you don't seem to want to fall asleep any time soon… Hmmm…. We will have a lot of things to discuss after we wake this evening. For now…. as your maker, I command you not to move from this spot until I will rise this evening. This is just in case you don't fall asleep before me."

The moment he said the magic words, I felt like I was tied with invisible ropes that would not allow me to move. Crap! Why did he have to do this? He must have thought that I would get out as soon as he fell asleep. He was right, of course, but still… why was he so mad at me? What had I done to earn such harsh treatment?

Perhaps Pam had managed to make the witch break the spell; perhaps he's remembered that he is the Bad-ass Sheriff of Area Five and he feels humiliated about the way he behaved when he wasn't himself. Perhaps I was important to him while he did not have anyone else, but now he resents being so helpless, relying so much on me… Well, now I was more helpless that I had ever been in my life. I was his slave, his puppet, all he had to do was to pull the strings and I had to do whatever he wanted me to.

Again, I found myself with no control over my life or over my actions. Again, someone else was deciding what was best for me and what was not. And I had no doubt that Bad-ass Eric would always do what was best for him; I was of little importance in his decisions. He'd said he was not happy about my turning, but then why didn't he just let me die?

And what about that thing he'd said about newborn vampires? I didn't feel particularly tired or sleepy… did that mean that I was a weird vampire? Great! Just great! All my life I'd been a weird human; now I was a weird vampire!

Wait! Vampires had special gifts! Could that be my special gift? To be able to stay awake during the day? But what good would that be to me? I couldn't go out during the day, even if I was awake. I was a vampire, I'd get burned! …. But what if I wouldn't? My skin didn't smoke like Eric's when the rays of sun touched it… What if somehow I could go out into the sun? That would be so fantastic! To be able to walk in the sun like a normal person; to be able to visit my friends, my brother; to continue working at Merlotte's…. scratch that; Eric would never let "his child" work for " that damn shifter"! Maybe I wouldn't even be able to, being a newborn vampire and all. I'd probably end up draining everybody! Or would I? I didn't feel all that out of control…

It was useless anyway. Eric would command me to stay motionless like this every day and I wouldn't be able to find out if I could walk in the sun or not. Maybe if I asked him… Look at me! What the hell was wrong with me? Ask him nicely? I was not a damn kid! I was an adult, and I could make my own decisions, thank you very much! And if Eric had a problem with that I would give him a piece of my mind that would make his ears burn! I'd make him regret every pain he ever caused me!

Of course, now I was so worked up that I had my fangs down and my throat began to ache. I was hungry! Damn, what do I eat? I couldn't go out to take a True Blood from the fridge, my "maker" had commanded me not to get out. Damn him. I wish I could… Ha! He did not command me not to bite him, did he? Well, he would have to suffer the consequences of his own actions, right? Right!

I shifted my head testing my ability to move. No problems there. It seemed that the ties that bound me to this place were only to prevent me from getting out. I turned my head until my mouth was resting on Eric's neck. My heart began to ache from the familiarity of his smell, his taste… I would not think about that! I was hungry, so I would eat. It was that simple!

I bit down, sinking my new little fangs into my maker's neck and a sweet liquid invaded my mouth! Yummy! I hadn't known that blood could taste like this! It was a wonder that vampires didn't drain people more often! It tasted amazing! I began drinking greedily. Soon the ache from my throat was gone, and I thought that I'd had enough and my fangs retracted themselves from his neck. Wow that was easy! I thought that I would have had more trouble controlling my fangs, and my blood lust for that matter, but it seemed simple enough for me. My fangs were like any other part of myself; they could be commanded consciously or they could react by instinct… good to know! Eric's neck had healed by now. Well, no need to mention all this to him.

My eyes started to close, the eyelids were so heavy… I guessed I'd better sleep now. I wanted to be well rested and fresh in the evening. How else would I be able to make Eric's night a living hell? Every night, until he'd had enough and released me from his maker command!

With this purpose in mind I let myself drift off to sleep.

Strong hands were caressing my face, my neck, my shoulders… My eyes snapped open. Eric.

"Sooo beautiful… so special… You know, Sookie, being your Maker will not be as annoying as I thought, it will definitely have some compensation…" he purred.

My whole body was on fire. Where was my anger? Where was my determination, my resolve to make his life hard?

"Tell me Sookie, is it true what Pam says? That you kept me safe here in your house while I had no memories of who I was? That we've been lovers? I don't remember any of this but perhaps you can help me reconstruct those memories." his hand was cupping my breast and I drew an unnecessary breath.

He remembers who he is. I knew it! But… He had forgotten all about me, about us, about loving me? And there it was. My anger came back a hundred times stronger.

"Take your damn hands off me!"

Don't forget to review, I love reviews 3


	3. Again Chapter 3

Many thanks to my dear Beta, All About Eric for her patience and support while writing this.

Disclaimer: none of these characters belong to me, they belong to Charlaine Harris.

"Take your damn hands off me!"

I started hammering my fist against his face, chest, wherever I could reach. It was like beating a mountain. I might be a vampire now but I was a newborn and he was 1,000 years old. It made a great difference. He caught my hands in one of his and with the other hand took my chin and said a very bored tone, "I see that you are better now; your feistiness is back."

"Go to hell Eric!"

"Oh, I'm hurt! I'm no longer 'Eric baby'?"

I saw red. My hands started to burn, a bright light shot from my fists and suddenly Eric had been thrown away from me. Wow! Did I do that? That was so cool! Maybe being a vampire will not be that bad: I'm stronger, faster and I have cool powers.

"I think that you and I have to talk." I heard Eric from somewhere above me. I looked up and I saw him looking at me thoughtfully.

I raised myself from the hidey-hole, emerged from the closet and settled on the bed in my old room. He seated himself on a chair facing me with his elbows on his knees and his chin on his palms.

"So talk" I said dryly.

"It seems that you had developed some powers, little one. We have to figure out what exactly your powers are and how much control you have over them," he said, matter-of-factly.

"We? WE? There is no WE and there never will be! You hear me, you bastard? I…"

"Stop that right now! I am tired of all this drama! You act like a spoiled child that hasn't received the toy she wanted. Grow up, for fuck's sake! Do you think that I am happy with this? That I would choose to tie myself to you forever? Yes, you are a beautiful, smart and feisty woman and I am very attracted to you; I want to have sex with you, maybe even spend some time with you, but I did not want to be tied to you for eternity. Hell, I did not want another child at all; Pam manages to keep me occupied enough with her disobedience. Not to mention that our bond was much stronger than normal and that means that when I fed you my blood to turn you it acted as a third exchange and we became blood-bonded as well. And that means I will never be rid of you, that you will always be wherever I am. I do not like this! I hate to lose the freedom I have enjoyed for so many years and I hate the way I can feel all your chaotic feelings; you have so little control over yourself!"

"What the hell do you mean, tied forever? I thought children leave their makers after a while…Bill left his maker…"

"Fuck Bill! Did you not hear what I just said? We are blood-bonded as well as maker and child!"

"And what the hell does blood-bonded mean?"

"When a human and a vampire exchange blood three times it forms a bond between them that allows them to feel each others feelings and location."

"But we did not exchange blood three times…"

"When the maenad attacked you I had your blood; when you got the bullets out of me you had my blood; at Russell's compound I gave you my blood so you could save Bill during the day…"

"But you did not have my blood then!"

"You were staked! You had a lot of blood on you and I might have liked some…that does not matter. It's been done! We cannot change it! We cannot go back to how things were before all this mess with the witches began! It's pointless to cry over the past. This is the way things are now. We have to be together for a long time, so we have to get along."

"I didn't want to be a vampire! I wanted to die! Why didn't you let me die? You would have been happy without me, not having to feel my stupid emotions…." my voice trailed off.

"Yes, probably. But I seem to have a weakness for you that I cannot understand or ignore. Ever since you walked into my bar a few months ago you have turned my life upside down. You brought a lot of trouble and nuisance, but somehow I can't help being drawn to you. I never felt anything like this, not even when I was human. I do not care for it. You are not the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, nor the smartest, or even the most talented, but you have something that makes me want to have you, no matter what."

To say I was shocked would be an understatement.

"Why are you telling me all this? You've never been so straightforward with your thoughts, not to mention that yesterday I thought that you truly hated me…"

"Yes, I was angry. I was very angry. I was blaming you for all things that had happened; things that I had no knowledge of, things beyond my control. Not to mention that when you rose I was overwhelmed by your strong emotions and that is something I truly hate. I spent many years when I was a newborn vampire trying to get rid of emotions and feelings, and being overwhelmed by them did nothing to elevate my spirits. However, when my anger subsided I realized that you were a victim in this, not the person that is responsible for everything that happened to me. I wish that I could get my hands on that witch, but she is dead now and that is not possible, so I have to let it go. And I tell you all this because now we are bound to each other. No matter what we want, or what we do, we are tied together so closely that nothing will be able to separate us; not even true death. Do you understand this? It is very serious! If one of us dies, the other will probably follow. I do not want to die, so you will have to live too. I will help you, teach you and try to make things easier for you, and soon you will begin to enjoy this life as I do. So, this being said, you need to know everything about me as I need to know everything about you."

"Whoa there buddy, I'm not going to tell you anything about myself! I'm still mad at y…."

"Buddy? BUDDY? Don't you ever call me that again, do you understand? I pride myself on being a good maker but I will not allow any disrespect! Pam received many punishments before she learned that lesson. I suggest you learn it fast."

"I will not be your servant so you can order me around however you like. I belong to myself and…"

"NO! You belong to ME! You are my child and I can do whatever I want with you, it is my right. I could torture you every night from now to eternity and no one would interfere!"

It was like being hit by a ton of bricks.

The pain returned, clawing my heart with her merciless hands. I fell to my knees, sobbing. One second later Eric enveloped me in his arms, rocking me.

"I'm sorry little one; you have a gift for infuriating me. I did not mean it. I would never torture you. I will take care of you and teach you everything I know. You will never want for anything."

"But it's true, right? I'm not my own any more. I do belong to you?"

"Yes, it is true. However, that does not mean that you will be my slave; that you will not have free will at all. You saw Pam. Does she seem like my slave to you? There are some makers that treat their children like slaves, making them obey their every wish, but I'm not like that. "

He cupped my face with his hands and kissed my eyelids.

"Now, stop crying. It makes me feel disturbingly human."

"Eric, how will we make it work? I don't even like you and…"

"What do you mean, you don't like me?" he said in a mocking tone. "I thought we were past that. Pam said we were lovers; you must like me!"

"You weren't yourself! I liked the Eric that you were, but now you are not him anymore."

"The witch's curse changed my personality as well as erased my memory?"

"No, but…you acted differently. You were more...open, more …you needed me and you talked to me and you listened to me… I don't know… you were different."

"Of course I was acting differently. I had forgotten all my knowledge, all my experiences. That does not mean that I'm not that man on the inside. You have to understand that surviving for a thousand years is not easy and it's not done by being open and spilling your guts."

"Maybe you are somehow like that but…you loved me! Can you honestly say that you - as you are now - could love me?"

"I do not know what love is. I have no knowledge of such things."

"In all that long thousand years you did not witness love? Ever?"

"I witnessed many things done in the name of love; stupid things, great things, pointless things, but I found that the people who have done something in the name of love ultimately had other reasons, hidden reasons, to do that. Take Helen of Troy, for example: her husband invaded Troy to recover his beloved wife, but in truth he did that to conquer a good land, to expand his kingdom."

"You see, you don't even believe in love!"

"Then you will have to teach me to love as I will teach you how to survive."

Well, that managed to silence me. Was he really willing to love me again?

"Why would you want that?"

"Don't you think it would be easier to bear each other if we at least liked each other?"

"How can you accept this so easily?"

"Would it make any difference if I was mad for a few years? Would it change anything for the better? I think not. I will not waste my time and energy on things that I can't change. And this will be the first lesson that you will have to learn: you have to become more mature. You always act on impulse, without thinking of the consequences; you will have to learn to control your emotions and act with reason. A vampire's first year is the hardest and the most dangerous. I will protect you, of course, but there are things that even I would be punished for doing. The Vampire world is a hard and devious world. In order to survive you have to outsmart the others."

"Oh, God! I don't want to think about that now! I haven't been able to wrap my mind around the fact that now I'm a vampire!"

"Okay, we will talk about this later. But you will have to agree that you and I are a team now. You will not snap at me whenever you feel like it."

"So we are a team in which you give the orders and I follow them?"

"Of course I will make the most important decisions, I am more experienced in this, but I promise you that I will consider your opinion about the things that will affect you directly. Now about your powers, we must…"

"Please Eric; can we talk about this later? There is so much that I have to absorb right now. Please."

"Fine, we will talk later, but do not think that I will forget this! That little stunt that you did with your hands is very unique; I have never seen anything like it. And now that we have covered all the important bases, you will pack and I will take you to my house to settle yourself. Do not bother to take all your things, because I will buy anything that you need."

"You can't buy things for me! I'm not that kind of…"

"You are speaking without thinking again, Sookie. You are my child now, and I will provide for you. Do human parents not provide for their progeny?"

"Yes, but…"

"Then, stop arguing and pack."

"Fine!"

It took me five minutes to gather all my clothes and toiletries, with vampire speed and all. I put all my things in garbage bags because I did not have travel bags and we got to my car. Eric looked at it with disdain:

"No child of mine will drive this piece of shit!"

"This is my car, not a piece of shit! How can you say something like that? It is a very good car!"

"Sookie, you really need to grow up!" he said in a tired voice.

We got into the car, Eric behind the wheel, and he drove us to his house. It was in a gated community in Shreveport and it was so warm and homey … not at all what I imagined that Eric's house would be like. It was a brick house with two floors, with white shutters at the windows and a beautiful white fence. It was the most beautiful house I had ever seen.

"Welcome home, little one."

Please let me know what you think about it.


	4. Again Chapter 4

Many thanks to my dear Beta, All About Eric for her patience and support while writing this.

Disclaimer: none of these characters belong to me, they belong to Charlaine Harris.

We entered the house after Eric parked his car inside the garage. There was a hall that led us directly into the living room. It was a very big room; my entire house would fit in there. It was decorated with heavily inlaid dark wood furniture, thick wool carpets in rich colors and striking paintings It was beautiful and impressive. It was so much like Eric.

He led me through the living room into a big hall where there was a double staircase made from dark wood. We walked behind the staircase on our right and there was a door with a control panel on it. Eric entered the code and we went in. We walked past a few doors and we entered the one at the end of the hall. There was huge bed right across the room, a California King I believe it's called; the headboard was made of dark wood and the sheets were dark red with golden patterns. Silk sheets. Wow, I'd never seen silk sheets before. The carpet on the floor was thick and it was dark red with black and gold patterns. The walls were painted in a golden-cream and there were a few paintings hanging here and there. It was a room fit for a king. It was Eric's room.

"I'll make some room for your clothes in my closet," he said.

"What? Do you expect me to stay here? In your room? With you?"

"Of course."

"No fucking way!"

"Sookie, I really grow tired of your attitude. Didn't we already have this conversation? Didn't I explain that you have to control yourself?"

"I'm not gonna sleep here! I want my own room!"

"Shut up woman and listen to yourself! You sound like a three-year-old, not like a mature woman. I have no patience with this kind of behavior! I thought we agreed that we are a team now…"

"We agreed nothing! You said it and I told you I need time to deal with it! And I'm not gonna spend that time here in your room! I want to be alone!"

"Förbannade envisa kvinna! You have to stay here so I can keep you safe! And so I can watch you better! What are you worried about? That you won't be able to keep your hands off me?"

That was such a low blow. And so close to truth that I didn't even know what to respond. Okay, so if I have to be honest with myself the bottom line is that I love this man. Vampire. Whatever. I love him. And I'm attracted to him. A lot! So now what? I jump in bed with him, not caring that he is such a bastard? He doesn't even remember me! He doesn't love me anymore…" My heart ached. He was not my Eric anymore.

"I just want to be alone for a while, please." I mumbled.

"Aren't you hungry? If I didn't know you were a newborn vampire I would never have guessed it. You don't act the way you should…"

"How does a newborn vampire act?" I was so glad that he had changed the subject. And now that he mentioned it, I was hungry.

"Newborns are driven mostly by their instincts, primal instincts. They feeds they fuck and they kill."

"Well la dee dah, Mr. High and Mighty. I'm so sorry to disappoint you!"

"Do not mock me, woman. I didn't say I was disappointed. Actually I'm impressed with the vampire you have become. You are going to be a fabulous vampire. A beautiful, extraordinary vampire."

He looked at me with heated eyes and I started to feel uncomfortable. And horny.

"Um, thank you. You know, now that you mention it, I am pretty hungry."

"Sookie, you are too much." He smirked.

He left through the door that we had entered by. I guess I hadn't fooled him for one second. Of course not, he could feel my emotions. Eric is right. I have to begin keeping my emotions under control. But, he said we are tied together, so am I able to feel his emotions too? I reached inside me and there was something new, but it was so low-level that I couldn't distinguish much.

"Here is some AB negative, this is the best blood. The more rare a blood group is, the better it tastes. This being your first night as a Vampire - we will forget yesterday, it was a foul start - we must celebrate." He handed me a glass full of a dark red liquid.

"Is this True Blood?"

"Of course not! You will not drink that vile stuff unless there is no other option. This is from a blood bank that I own."

"You own a blood bank? What am I saying? of course you would! I'm not gonna drink human blood, Eric!"

"You would rather drink that shit? True Blood? Why? It tastes vile! This is a compromise Sookie. I will not force you to feed on humans, which you should, but you will drink the real thing. As a newborn you need more nutrition than that synthetic crap supplies. If you drank that shit you would grow weaker and hungrier and you would eventually go mad and you'd start draining every human you could find until your hunger was satisfied."

"So that shit that the vampires said when they came out of the coffin, about how True Blood is enough and you don't have to feed on humans anymore wasn't true? You lied?"

"First of all, you have to stop saying "vampires" and "you", you are now one of us. Secondly, of course we lied, the humans would be scared to death of us if we didn't."

"With good reason, don't you think?"

"Yes. And now that we have had this enlightening conversation, drink your blood and start unpacking."

He walked to the door to his left and opened it. There was a huge walk-in closet there. And it was full of his clothes. When does he wear all these clothes?

"I'll make you some room in here, do you need more than half of this?"

"Are you kidding? Two shelves are going to be enough for my stuff…"

"I told you that I'm going to buy you more appropriate clothes. Or better, I'll make Pam buy you what you need. She is best at this."

"I have enough clothes, you don't have to buy me anything!"

"Sookie you are becoming tiresome. You will accept what I buy for you and you will keep your mouth shut. You really expect me to present you as my child to all my underlings dressed in rags? "

"My clothes are not rags!"

I started crying again. Damn, I hate all these emotions! I want to be angry at him, hit him maybe, but instead of that, I cry! This is so lame!

Eric came and grabbed my chin in his big hand.

"Sookie, how about this? Let's put your things on the shelves that I have emptied and I'll let you alone to think for a few hours."

"Okay. Thank you. I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm not usually such a cry-baby."

"Sookie, you have to deal with a lot of things right now, and I can't make it easier for you. This is something that you have to come to terms with on your own. But you have to stop fighting me on everything. You are my child now. I will always do what's best for you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Eric."

"OK, now drink your blood before it gets cold."

I did as he said, just tasting it at first, but after the sweet liquid hit my tongue I emptied the glass in a second. It was very good. Not as good as Eric's blood but way better then the True Blood that Pam had given to me the night before.

"Do you want more?"

"No I'm fine, thank you."

"Would you be OK if I left you alone to settle in? I have to make a few phone calls. "

"Of course, Eric. Thank you for being so patient with me."

"It is my responsibility as your Maker to help you with everything I can. I always take my responsibilities very seriously. You will learn to count on me and to trust me; to ask me for anything and everything. But right now I want you to promise me that you will not do anything stupid while you are alone."

"I'm not going to kill myself if that's what you're afraid of. I'm a good Christian; I respect the Ten Commandments as much as I can. Yesterday I was not myself, I was desperate. But now I'm better. You can trust me on this."

"I'll trust you, but I'll open the bond just a little so I can keep track of you; is this ok with you? You will be able to feel me much more intensely than you can now, so don't get scared. Are you ready?"

"Well, I don't know if I'm ready, but, go ahead…"

I started to feel a hole inside me that I didn't even know that I had and it was filling with some sort of energy that was humming. It felt strange and comforting at the same time. It felt like I had finally found something that I didn't know was missing. I felt… not alone anymore. That's when I knew that everything would be fine. Whatever happened I would always have someone that I could count on. Like I used to count on Gran. Suddenly I felt very light and I threw my hands around Eric's neck in a tight embrace that would probably have choked him to death if he had still needed to breathe.

He just stood there for a moment and then he embraced me back. I felt as though I had come home.

"Everything will be all right, little one."

Damn right it will.

We stood there for a few moments and then I lifted my head from his chest to look into his eyes.

"One day you will remember me, us."

"One day I expect I will."

"Ok, I'll start unpacking."

He let me go and walked out of the door. Surprisingly I did not feel like I was alone even after he left. He was right there inside me, filling me with contentment.

I started unpacking my things and looking at them made me realize that Eric was right; they were too cheap and too used to look good. Maybe it was the new enhanced vampire vision or the fact that all the other clothes in the closet, Eric's clothes, were top quality. Whatever the reason, I found myself looking forward to having new clothes, good quality clothes. And Pam did have a very good taste.

After I put all my clothes in the closet, I took my toiletries and opened the only door that could possibly lead to the bathroom. God, this is a bathroom? This is a salon!

The bathroom was almost as big as the bedroom and it had the same colors, dark red, black and gold. It had a big marble vanity with a very big mirror, a shower that looked like the command controls on the USS Enterprise and a huge bathtub, marble again with lots of holes in it, that I had to guess were for bubbles, like on a Jacuzzi. Hell maybe it is a Jacuzzi! No toilet. Of course no toilets, what use would Eric have for a toilet? He was a vampire! And now so was I. I found myself glad that I would not have to use the toilet anymore. No full bladder in the mornings; No bad breath; No bad time of the month, no cramps… Well, this was a good thing. A very good thing!

I approached the vanity and put my things on a shelf. My eyes met my image in the mirror. At first I didn't realize that it was me. It was such a beautiful woman. Her skin was flawless, her eyes were bright, her lips were plump, and her hair was shining. OMG! This is me? I'm beautiful! How did I not see it? I guess when I took the shower at my house I was too busy feeling sorry for myself to notice all the changes.

My skin was not the pale white that vampires usually have; it was a light golden color. All in all I didn't look much like a vampire. I looked more like a model. Yay me!

I undressed myself to see if my body suffered any enhancement too, and look at that! It had! My breasts were more firm, my skin was glowing softly but was still golden and firm, my tummy was more concave than it ever been. I loved this!

I decided that I should celebrate by taking a bath in the Jacuzzi, so I let the bathtub fill and put in some jasmine salts that I found on a shelf and jumped in. This feels so good!

I took my time washing myself, feeling every molecule of water against my skin, the softness of the shower cream I was using, the wonderful smell of jasmine from the salts… it was really sensual. I had never enjoyed a bath so much in my whole life. After I washed my hair I got out of the bathtub and I wrapped myself in a thick towel. I blow-dried my hair and brushed it until it was like a halo around my face and I looked in the mirror in wonder. Get a grip Sookie, it's just hair! But what hair, and what a face.

Okay, I have to stop this.I turned my head and walked back to the bedroom to find something to wear. I looked through the closet but none of my things attracted me; instead I kept eyeing a red silk shirt that belonged to Eric. I didn't usually take things that do not belong to me, but that shirt was calling to me. I touched it and it was the softest thing I had ever touched. So seductive, so hard to resist. So I didn't. I dressed in his shirt and hoped Eric didn't mind. He said that I can ask him for anything right? Okay so I didn't exactly ask, but…

The bedroom door opened and Eric started to enter when he came to a halt. He looked at me with warm and joyous eyes and said.

"My child, you are a vision of beauty. If I didn't know better I would have thought that you were an angel."

"Do you mind that I took your shirt? I don't know what got into me, I don't..."

"Don't fret little one, everything I own it's yours to use in whatever way you want. It looks way better on you than it does on me, anyway. I spoke with Pam and she will see that you have a complete wardrobe by tomorrow night. I also informed your shifter boss you will not returning to his place of business. I even offered to loan him a waitress from Fangtasia until he finds a permanent replacement."

"Sam! I completely forgot about him! And my brother… my brother is still missing…"

"Pam told me about your brother and I put my two best trackers on this matter. He will be found by the time we wake up tomorrow evening. I told you that I would take care of everything. You will learn that I always keep my promises."

"Thank you, Eric. You have no idea how much that means to me."

"Actually, I do" he smirked.

Right, the bond.

"Can I talk to Sam? I really feel that I have to explain to him everything, he was always a good friend."

"Of course you can. Here, use my phone. You'll get one of your own tomorrow evening. My day man is taking care of that."

"But…"

I stopped myself. I had to control myself. What had he called it? Compromise. He is trying so hard to make things easy for me, I had to try to accept the things he wanted to do for me.

"Thank you Eric."

"Well done, little one. I'm very proud of you."

He leaned in and kissed my forehead. I felt warm and tingly inside, all the way to my… well, my hootchie.

I took his cell and called Sam. He answered after the first ring.

"What?"

"Hi Sam, it's Sookie, is this a bad time for you?"

"Sookie? Are you all right? I mean… are you safe? Where are you? I tried to call you but you didn't answer and I had been to your house…"

"Yes Sam, I'm fine, I'm at Eric's house. I wanted to say that I'm sorry that I can't work for you anymore."

"Yes, Northman told me. So it's true then. I hoped he was just fucking with me."

"It's true."

"Are you OK with this?"

Did I have any choice other than to be OK with this? It's not like it was a gift that I didn't like and could return.

"Sure Sam, I'm okay."

"Well, good. So, I guess I'll talk to you later then."

Yes, bye Sam."

"Bye Sookie, be safe."

A little late for that. Huh, was that an awkward conversation or what? The cell started ringing and I handed it to Eric.

"Pam."

"Eric, I had a phone call from a fairy named Claudine, she is asking about Sookie."

Of course, now that I had improved vampire hearing I was able to hear with no trouble both sides of the conversation.

"What the fuck would a fairy want with my child?"

"Your child huh? So you two came to terms then?"

"We manage to come to an understanding, but you didn't answer my question."

"She didn't say, but Sookie knows her."

He turned towards me.

"Do you know this fairy named Claudine?"

"Yes, she said she was my fairy godmother and she saved me one night when I fell asleep driving."

"You are keeping interesting company, little one. You'll have to tell me all about it."

"Pam, call the fairy and tell her to meet us tomorrow at the Ramon's. Nine o'clock sharp."

"Yes, Master. Anything else?"

"Be here as soon as you rise for the evening with Sookie's clothing."

"Of course, I had great time buying her wardrobe; I bought myself a new pair of Manolo Blanik's. They're to die for!"

"Very amusing Pam."

He ended the conversation without so much as a word of good bye. Vampires! You'd think that in so many years they would had the time to learn some manners.

"Come little one it's almost dawn, we must go to bed."

"Dawn? Already? How do you know?"

"You don't feel it? The pull, the danger, the tiredness?

"No…"

"We will look into this after I rise for the evening. You didn't fall asleep along with me the other night. You probably will not fall asleep today either, so in order to know that both of us will be safe I have to command you again."

"No Eric, please! Don't do that! Please!"

"Sookie, you are very emotional and if you do something stupid during the day I won't be there to stop you."

"I won't Eric, I promise, please. You can trust me."

He looked at me with a thoughtful expression and then it seemed that he came to a conclusion.

"I have no idea why, but I trust you. Don't fail me Sookie!"

"Thank you Eric. "

"Now let us go to bed"

He took my hand and led me to the big bed. I sat on the right side and he circled the bed to sit on the other side. I settled myself beneath the covers. It felt amazing. The bed was soft, the sheets were light and the pillow was very well stuffed. Eric reached with his arms and enveloped me in a tight embrace.

"Sweet dreams, my Sookie.

I felt safe, and cherished and…loved? This is heaven.

A/N

Förbannade envisa kvinna = Fucking stubborn woman

Thank you very much to EricFancier for the translation.

Don't forget to review, please!


	5. Again Chapter 5

This chapter contains a long extract from CH book 8. So if any of you recognize it, that's why.

Many thanks to my dear Beta, All About Eric for her patience and support while writing this.

Disclaimer: none of these characters belong to me, they belong to Charlaine Harris.

I woke up feeling safe and protected. I opened my eyes and there he was, still holding me, studying me.

"There's something about you that I'm missing; something important, but I can't pinpoint it."

"What do you mean?"

"You don't look like you are entirely vampire; it's more like you are some kind of hybrid… but I'm not sure. I've never seen anything like you.

Doesn't matter, I'll figure it out. Now, are you hungry?"

"Yes, starving!" I had no idea what he meant by hybrid, I wasn't even sure what the word meant, but right now I was too hungry to care about it.

He stood up and walked through the door.

"Come here Sookie."

I got up and followed him. We entered the door right across the hall from the bedroom and there was an office. The carpet was very thick, in shades of brown; there was a couch and two armchairs in brown leather, a big dark wooden desk and one entire wall was covered in shelves full of books. In a corner there was a small cabinet and on top of it was a microwave. Eric opened the cabinet's door and when he did I saw that it was not really a cabinet but a hidden fridge. He took two bottles of True Blood and put them in the microwave.

"I hate this shit, but later we will go to Fangtasia and we will drink the real thing," he said.

"What you mean the real thing?"

"I mean real blood directly from the source, what else could I mean?"

The panic struck me like a bolt of lightning. I began shaking and my eyes stung.

"No! Please, I can't do that. Eric, I can't…"

"Shhh, little one, don't fret. You don't have to. I thought that you had got over this, but obviously I was wrong…"

"Why would you think that I had got over this?"

"Well, last night when I woke up I noticed that my neck hurt a little, as it would if someone had fed on me…. if you know what I mean…"

If I could still blush, my face would have been red right then. I couldn't look at him, so I kept my eyes on the carpet.

"I'm sorry, I was hungry, I didn't know what to do, I couldn't move and…"

"Don't worry, my child, of course you should have fed. It was careless of me not to think that you would need more blood since you weren't sleeping. I will not make this mistake again. Now you know that you can find more blood here if you get hungry and I'm asleep."

"I thought that you wouldn't notice, you know, with the vampire healing and all."

"We are dead during the day and so our healing is slowed down. But speaking of dead, why is it that you don't have to sleep when the dawn comes? Do you feel the pull but you are able to resist, or you don't feel the pull at all?"

"I didn't feel anything like that, I have no idea what 'the pul,l means but I fall asleep pretty much like I did when I was human."

"This is very strange… I wonder why… would this be your gift, to be able to resist the pull of the dawn? Would you be able to walk in the sun as well? Hmm, I've never heard of such gift. It is a very powerful gift. Not to mention the light that was coming out of your hands. You are truly amazing, Sookie. We have to figure out if you have more of these unusual gifts or if that's all. Did you notice whether you still have your telepathy?"

Oh, shit! Think fast, Sookie!

"I haven't met any humans yet, Eric. I'll see if I can read some fangbangers when we go to Fangtasia. Can I try to go upstairs in the morning to see if the sun burns me? "

"Definitely not! What if it does burn you? The moment you walk into its rays you will start burning and you won't be able to take cover by yourself. I will think of something."

And with that he turned towards the door.

Whoa, that was a close call! Although I should probably try to prepare myself to tell him that I read Pam. Good thing that I didn't read him! I can imagine how riled he would be to hear that. Oh, wait! Why can't I hear him? I mean, I didn't try to read Pam, her thoughts just popped into my brain, but his brain is as silent to me as always. This is strange…. Could this be because he is so old, or he has some shields, or…? This is probably very good! He would definitely hateit if I was able to read him.

"Finish your blood and get dressed. Pam had already brought your new clothes and left for Fangtasia to see that everything is in order. We have to go to Fangtasia first and then we have to meet with the fairy. Maybe get a snack while we're there." He stopped at the door and glanced back at me.

"Eric, she's my friend! I don't care how sweet she smells, you can't bite her!"

"Who knows? maybe you'll be the one that won't be able to resist biting her. You are a newborn after all, even if you don't act much like one."

"I won't! Will I? Eric, please, if I lose it, can you stop me? Please?"

"Fine, but for this you will have to do something for me, too."

"Like what?"

"I'll tell you later."

"I can't agree to something without knowing what it is!"

"Well then, I wish you luck restraining yourself." He chuckled.

"This is not fair!"

"Of course it isn't! But this is what I demand. Do you agree or not?"

"Fine!" I huffed.

He exit the office still chuckling. Damn! He is so devious. And high-handed. And sexy… Ok, stop, Sookie! You're not going there!

I gulped the remainder of the almost cold True Blood and I put it on a basket that I noticed near the cabinet. Eric had put his bottle there without rinsing it, so I guessed someone was going take care of that.

I got back to the bedroom and I saw that Eric was already dressed. I hurried to the bathroom, took a quick shower, brushed my hair, put on a little make-up and went to the closet to get dressed. Almost half of the closet was now full with my new clothes; my new beautiful, expensive clothes. There was no time to explore everything so I took a blue dress and matching underwear, black peep toe shoes and hurried back to bedroom where Eric waited for me.

"Mmm, beautiful" he leered.

"Thank you, Eric, you really shouldn't have…"

"Yes, yes. You know this little speech is getting old. You might want to try to lose it."

When we arrived to the Fangtasia Pam was already in Eric's office, waiting for us. Eric walked straight to his desk while Pam approached me with a funny spark in her eyes. I raised my shields so I wouldn't be able to hear what was going on inside her head.

"Good evening, Master. Sookie, immortality suits you! You look good enough to eat!"

"Thank you Pam, I guess… I don't feel as different as I thought I would." I said trying to get past her lesbian weirdness.

"I'm glad to hear that. It would be very annoying to spend an eternity watching you mourn your humanity."

"I'm so glad you care about my feelings, Pam!"

"Don't be a child; feelings are for humans not for vampires. You are my sister now; we can't have you acting like a wimp."

"Gee, Pam, you are so not like the sister I never had."

"I am the only sister you have and frankly Sookie I'm way better than the brother that you always had!"

"Well, yes, I can't argue with that…"

"Thank you. Now, Eric, we have to go if we want to make it to Ramon's in time."

"Yes, good, I'll feed and we can be on our way."

A big wave of jealousy hit me. Was he going to feed on another woman now? Was I going to stay here and watch?

"What's the matter, Sookie? I told you that you don't have to feed on humans if you don't want to."

"I… you…"

"Master, I think Sookie is having a problem with your feeding."

"What? Why would she have a problem with that? You two can wait for me in the car."

I wished that the earth would open and swallow me whole. Now what? Should I tell him the truth? Should I go to the car and suffer in silence? I can't deal with this! I have to tell him!

"Eric, you said we are a team and we have to tell each other the truth, right?" I begin.

"Yes, of course!"

"Well, you see when you were cursed and we were together, I…. we developed some feelings for each other…. and…"

"Sookie, vampires don't have feelings, I'm sure I already told you that."

"Will you let me finish!" I snapped at him. "It's very hard to do this with you interrupting me!"

"Please, continue, I'm dying to know what you have to say," he mocked me.

"OK, so we fell in love, and even though you don't remember anything of that, I do, and I can't stand to know you're feeding and God knows what else on another woman." I blurted it all out.

"This is going to be a problem. I hate that vile synthetic shit and I have to feed to be strong. I don't see how my feeding has anything to do with you. But for now I'll make you a deal; how about I just feed without fucking the fangbanger, and we will discourse more on this after we deal with the fairy?"

"How about you don't fuck and you don't feed on anyone or I'm going to cry and pour all my sorrow into the bond?"

"Sookie, my sister, you are so much fun!" Pam beamed at me.

Eric glared at us and called for a waitress to bring him 2 bottles of True Blood. The waitress brought the bottles and he give me one.

"Sookie, do not think that this discussion is over. We will talk later about this."

I was relieved but still worried, I had won the battle but I had yet to win the war. This is something I would do anything to win. I guess I'll have to negotiate really hard. Eric loves negotiating. He said we have to compromise, so I will compromise anything, everything in order to gain his promise that he will never feed and have sex with another. Asshole or not, he is my love, and I have to fight for him. He will remember me some time or maybe he will come to love me all over again… he said that I have to teach him how to love!

In the mean time Eric finished his True Blood and frowned at me.

"Are you going to drink that blood anytime soon?"

Owff! Men! They can be such crybabies when they don't get their way! I drank the remaining blood from my bottle.

"I'm done."

"Good, now let's go."

Pam smirked at me and followed him through the back door. She climbed into the back seat of Eric's car. Eric looked at her puzzled.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh, I'm just gonna stay back here so I can better enjoy the show."

He growled at her but got behind the wheel while I climbed in next to him. He drove really fast and parked in front of Ramon's restaurant. It was a very select restaurant that also acted like a sanctuary; every supe was welcome to come but no fighting was allowed, or so Pam explained to me while we were climbing out of the car.

On the door was a huge man (or supe) that looked at Eric and nodded. We entered through the red doors and it was like entering a whole new world.

It was as if we were inside some Greek palace, with white columns and pink marble on the floor; there were some huge exotic plants here and there. The tables were arranged so that they would provide privacy to the occupants. I guess that made sense. If this was a sanctuary many supes would come here to negotiate important business and they wouldn't like if someone eavesdropped on them.

Out of the blue a beautiful woman approached us. She had long dark hair and beautiful green eyes; her dress was some kind of Grecian design made of white flowing material.

"Good evening mister Northman, your guests are waiting for you. Right this way please."

His guests? I thought that Claudine had come to meet us alone, but it seemed that she had brought some back-up with her. She really did not trust the vampires. I opened my mind just a little so I could see if I could figure out what kind of supes were here, and my mind filled with many, very different thoughts. There were some Were minds and some human minds but they were filled with some sort of energy - witches I guessed; There were shifters, vampires and some types that I hadn't met before. There were a few that had a brain pattern that was very red and… animalistic, in the absence of a better word; others had minds full of a bright blue light, some had some green and peaceful minds.

We arrived at a table hidden behind a curtain of vines, kind of like a booth.

"Your waiter will be here in a minute, enjoy your dinner."

With that she turned and walked away. Eric entered the booth and we followed him. There were two persons there waiting for us: a very beautiful man and Claudine. They both stood when we entered and the man spoke to Eric.

"Northman, it's been a long time."

"Prince, a long time indeed."

They nodded to each other and Eric introduced us.

"Brigant, these are my progenies, Pamela De Beaufort and Sookie Stackhouse. Pam, Sookie, this is prince Niall Brigant of the sky fairies." He pronounced it "Nye-all."

" And this is my granddaughter Claudine Crane." the prince responded.

„I believe you've met her before." His voice was light, sexless, resonant. His eyes were green, the deepest green you can imagine. In the flickering candlelight, the color hardly mattered - it was the depth you noticed.

Pam nodded towards them and I followed her lead. Claudine looked at me but she didn't said anything; she looked sad. After the introductions we took a seat across the table from the fairies. The waiter came to inquire about our drink orders and to recite the Specials of the Day. The fairies ordered herbal tea and Eric ordered AB negative for us. He did not consult us. High-handed. After the waiter had gone, he addressed the prince.

"I am very surprised to see you here. I was led to believe that we were to meet just your granddaughter here, because she is Sookie's fairy-godmother."

"Yes, it's a little more complicated than that, I'm afraid."

The waiter come back with our orders, he put some light orange glasses in front of Niall and Claudine and some dark red ones in front of us. I must say it smelled delicious. I used this distraction to catch a glimpse of the fairies' minds. They were the bright blue ones, and Niall was thinking how much I looked like his beloved Einin; so beautiful, so strong. He was proud of the person I had become and he wished that he had come earlier, to prevent me from being turned. He hoped that I would accept him and that we would be able to have a good relationship, as any great-grandfather and a great-granddaughter should have. I gasped. He looked me in the eyes.

"I see that your telepathy has developed a great deal, my child."

I look at Eric. He was frowning but he held my hand and turned towards Niall.

"Why don't you tell me what this is about, fairy?"

"Northman, Sookie is my great-granddaughter. "

Eric froze beside me.

~0~0~0~

"Please explain," I said very politely.

"I'll tell you all about it," Niall said. "When I was still young, perhaps five or six hundred years ago, I used to wander among the humans and every now and then, as a male will, I'd see a human woman I found appealing. I saw such a woman in the woods one day, and her name was Einin. She thought I was an angel." He was silent for a moment. "She was delicious," he said. "She was lively, and happy, and simple." Niall's eyes were fixed on my face. I wondered if he thought I was like Einin: simple. "I was young enough to be infatuated, young enough to be able to ignore the inevitable end of our connection as she aged and I did not. But Einin got pregnant, which was a shock. Fairies and humans don't crossbreed often. Einin gave birth to twins, which is quite common among the fae. Einin and both boys lived through the birthing, which in those times was far from certain. She called our older son Fintan. The second was Dermot." "Fintan the half fairy was your paternal grandfather, Sookie," Niall said.

"No. I know who my grandfather was." My voice was shaking a little, I noticed, but it was still very quiet. "My grandfather was Mitchell Stackhouse and he married Adele Hale. My father was Corbett Hale Stackhouse, and he and my mom died in a flash flood when I was a little girl. Then I was raised by my grandmother Adele."

"What was your grandmother like?" Niall asked.

"She raised me when she didn't have to," I said. "She took me and Jason into her home, and she worked hard to raise us right. We learned everything from her. She loved us. She had two children herself and buried them both, and that must have about killed her, but still she was strong for us."

"She was beautiful when she was young," Niall said. His green eyes lingered on my face as if he were trying to find some trace of her beauty in her granddaughter. "I guess," I said uncertainly. You don't think about your grandmother in terms of beauty, at least in the normal way of things. "I saw her after Fintan made her pregnant," Niall said. "She was lovely. Her husband had told her he could not give her children. He'd had mumps at the wrong time. That's a disease, isn't it?"

I nodded.

"She met Fintan one day when she was beating a rug out on the clothesline, at the back of the house where you now live. He asked her for a drink of water. He was smitten on the spot. She wanted children so badly, and he promised her he could give them to her."

"You said fairies and people weren't usually fertile when they crossbred."

"But Fintan was only half fairy. And he already knew that he was able to give a woman a child." Niall's mouth quirked. "The first woman he loved died in childbirth, but your grandmother and her son were more fortunate, and then two years later she was able to carry Fintan's daughter to completion."

"He raped her," I said, almost hoping it was so. My grandmother had been the most true-blue woman I'd ever met. I couldn't picture her cheating anyone out of anything, particularly since she'd promised in front of God to be faithful to my grandfather.

"No, he did not. She wanted children, though she didn't want to be unfaithful to her husband. Fintan didn't care about the feelings of others, and he wanted her desperately," Niall said. "But he was never violent. He would not have raped her. However, my son could talk a woman into anything, even into something against her moral judgment... And if she was very beautiful, so was he."

I tried to see the woman she must have been, in the grandmother I'd known. And I just couldn't.

"What was your father like, my grandson?" Niall asked.

"He was a handsome guy," I said. "He was a hard worker. He was a good dad." Niall smiled slightly.

"How did your mother feel about him?" That question cut sharply into my warm memories of my father.

"She, ah, she was really devoted to him." Maybe at the expense of her children.

"She was obsessed?" Niall's voice was not judgmental but certain, as if he knew my answer.

"Real possessive," I admitted. "Though I was only seven when they died, even I could see that. I guess I thought it was normal. She really wanted to give him all her attention. Sometimes Jason and I were in the way. And she was really jealous, I remember." I tried to look amused, as if my mother being so jealous of my father was a charming quirk.

"It was the fairy in him that made her hold on so strongly," Niall said. "It takes some humans that way. She saw the supernatural in him, and it enthralled her. Tell me, was she a good mother?"

"She tried hard," I whispered.

She had tried. My mother had known how to be a good mother theoretically. She knew how a good mother acted toward her children. She'd made herself go through all the motions. But all her true love had been saved for my father, who'd been bemused by the intensity of her passion. I could see that now, as an adult. As a child, I'd been confused and hurt.

"Why did you decide now to come meet me?" I asked. "How long have you known about me?"

"I've known about your family for the past sixty years, give or take. But my son Fintan forbade my seeing any of you."

"What changed?" I said, but then I figured it out. "So your son is dead now."

"Yes," he said, and put down the fork. "Fintan is dead. After all, he was half human. And he'd lived for seven hundred years."

Was I supposed to have an opinion about this? I felt so numb, as though Niall had shot Novocain into my emotional center. I probably should ask how my - my grandfather had come to die, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

~0~0~0~

I turned my head towards Claudine.

"Did you know about this? Is this why you are protecting me?"

She nodded, but still said nothing. This was so unusual for her. She usually was very cheerful and couldn't keep her mouth shut. I guess she behaved like this because of Niall.

"Why didn't you tell me this?"

"I'm so sorry Sookie but I was not allowed to give you any information, just to protect you. I didn't do a very good job protecting you and I'm very sorry for that." She lowered her head in shame and I felt very sorry for her."

"It's okay, Claudine, it's not as bad as I thought it would be…." I tried to console her.

All this time Eric just sat there and listened. Now he decided to take charge.

"Fine, now you have met her, now what? She is a vampire now, you are a fairy and it is not possible for you two to interact, even with your gift for suppressing your essence,"

"Actually, we can interact very well. Her turning into a vampire increases her fairy spark and she will not be drawn by any fae's scent."

"Are you certain?"

"I am. I know of another part sky fairy that had been turned; Meriel, and I expect Sookie is no different."

"There is another like me?" I blurted. "Can she walk in the sun?" That was the part that mattered most for me.

"Yes, my child, she can."

In that moment I didn't care about anything else. I felt so high on my emotions you could have knocked me down with a feather. I was happy.

"Are there more fae powers that she'll develop?" Eric's mental wheels were turning.

"There are a few powers that will appear in the first years and others that will develop in time. Right now she should be able to emanate a high energy from her hands when threatened, her telepathy is increased, as I said, and she probably can hear any species' thoughts…"

Eric shot me a sharp glance. I gulped. Oh-oh, we're going to have another "discussion" when we get back home. Thank you very much, great-grandfather.

"She will also develop a very usual gift among fairies, the language gift - that means she will be able to understand any language that she hears. The magic inside her will also increase, but it will need guidance."

"And are you willing to provide the guidance for her?"

"Of course, I would be very pleased if you will allow me to speak to Meriel and ask her to teach Sookie."

"Can I meet her, really? How old is she?" I jumped into the conversation.

"I think I know this Meriel" Eric seemed thoughtful; "she is a Celtic vampire from Arthur's time. We fought in a few battles together. She is a formidable vampire."

"Yes, that is her."

"I didn't know that she was part fae."

"Of course you didn't, that is not something to be advertised! Especially among vampires. She can help Sookie better than anybody considering the similarities between them.""

"That would be acceptable. I, of course, will be training Sookie in her new vampire life but the fairy traits would be best dealt with by someone with experience in such matters."

"That is settled, then. Sookie, I would like to meet you again sometime, and if you ever need anything…"

"Fairy! She is my child, I will provide for her! If she needs anything she will come to me!"

"Of course. I will ask though, that you allow me to develop a relationship with my great-grand daughter; she is part of my family.'

"I will think about it. If this is all, we have other business to attend to." Eric got up. Pam and I followed his lead. "I will expect news from you regarding Meriel."

"I will contact her and let you know her answer by the end of the night."

They nodded to each other and Niall turned his head towards me.

"Child, I hope you will agree to meet me again, but I will understand if you don't."

"Thank you great-grandfather, I will think about it." I said. "Good bye great-grand father, good bye Claudine"

They both said good bye and with that I followed Eric to the car. I hoped my great-grandfather would pay the bill.

We drove in silence and soon we were in Fangtasia's parking lot.

"Pam, I have something to do, take care of the bar and call me in case of emergencies only.

"Yes, Master."

Oh, shit! I guess he didn't want any witnesses to our talk. This was not going to be good.

He drove fast and we were home in no time. He parked the car in the garage and went straight to the living room. I followed him, unsure of what else to do. We sat on the couch and he looked at me with a cold stare.

"So you can hear vampires now, Sookie?"

A/N Don't forget to review!

TBC


	6. Again Chapter 6

Many thanks to my dear Beta, All About Eric for her patience and support while writing this.

Disclaimer: none of these characters belong to me, they belong to Charlaine Harris.

A little warning: this story will change to M rating soon. Anyone younger than 18 years old- be aware.

"So you can hear vampires now, Sookie?"

If my heart hadn't been dead still, right then it would have pumped its way out of my chest.

"Yes Eric, I can hear vampires now." I decided that truth would be the best option in this situation. That, and the fact that he would feel through the bond if I lied.

"And it didn't occur to you that this is something that I should know?" he asked in an ice-cutting tone."

"I haven't got a chance to think about it. I…. Look, I know you are upset, but…"

"Oh, you know, do you? And that makes it better? You know I am upset and you are going to cry and ask me to give you a break, because you did not have the time to 'wrap your mind about this entire vampire thing', is that right? You're going to whine about how hard all this is for you and how I should be more understanding?"

My temper started rising.

"No, as a matter of fact I'm not about to tell you that! I'm going to tell you the truth! And the truth is, I don't trust you! You keep saying how we should tell each other everything and how we are a team now, but all I see is how you try to make me confide in you, while you don't share anything, you don't trust me! You just want more control over me! And I'm not just going to give it to you. You have enough control over me as it is!"

"Do I now? Tell me then, how is it that I didn't order you to tell me everything about what happened when I was under the witches' curse? I could do that easily, you know. Order you to tell me everything I want to know. But I ordered you only when I absolutely had to in order to keep you alive. Now, tell me, what explanation you have for this?"

"I…. I don't know. Why didn't you?" my anger begin to settle and I started to think straight again.

"Because I want you to come to me on your own, I want your trust. We are mates now, we have to be able to rely on each other and that kind of relationship is built on trust! Something that you are so reluctant to give to me. Why is that, Sookie? What did I do that made you think that you can't trust me? What have I ever promised to you and haven't delivered?"

"You promised me that you would love and honor me! You promised that when the witch was defeated, you would bring me to your side, that you would share everything you have with me, that every vampire who owed you fealty would honor me. Does it look to you as though you kept your promise?" I yelled at him, mad again.

"This may be so, but there is a little problem with this promise: I don't remember making it!" he replied in the same tone.

"That's convenient!"

"Convenient! There's nothing convenient about losing my memories! Do you think that I want this? Not knowing what happened to me for a whole week of my life?"

"Yes, if what happened in that week would be considered a weakness!"

"Are you calling me weak, woman?"

"No, of course not! You were sweet and nice, but not weak. But I think that you would think of that as weakness…"

"No vampire in his right mind would want to be described as 'sweet and nice'; that is lame!" He ran his hands through his hair and then looked at me thoughtfully. "I believe you might have a point."

"You do?" I couldn't believe it! Did he just say that I was right?

"Yes. If I did act like that, I would not want to remember it. I would be very disappointed in myself to know that I was so weak and lame. I will think about this later. Right now we need to solve this lack of trust between us. I acknowledge that I might have said and done things that I am not aware of in the time I was cursed, but if I don't remember making a promise, then how can I keep it?"

"I guess so, but it is still hard for me to be open to you. You might not remember, but I do!"

"I get that. Sookie, the Eric that I was during the witches' curse might have been good to you and nice and sweet, but I'm not like that. That was an anomaly! You have to get past that because if I am not cursed again, that is something that you will never see from me. And, trust me, I will not be cursed again!"

My heart broke at that statement. I understood that, I really did, and it made sense. But I guess that, inside my heart, I had hoped that somehow, sometime I would have again what I had lost along with my humanity. My love. My lover. I felt my resolve fall into in place. I will not give up! I have an eternity ahead of me and in order for me to enjoy the rest of my very long existence I will have to keep my heart's desire. And he is it. I will have him again. I will fight, I will grovel, and I will do ANYTHING to have him again!

"Eric, the curse did not change your behavior but merely kept all your memories and past experiences hidden from you, right?"

"What is your point?"

"So, the way you acted while you were cursed was not altered by the curse, it just was unaffected by all the knowledge that you have acquired in your long life. You acted the way you felt rather than acting the way you thought. Is this not true?

"It is. But I still do not see what you are getting at. The point is that now I do remember everything that I have learned in a thousand years and I will not let myself act 'the way I feel'. The first thing that you must learn in order to survive as a vampire is not to 'feel' anything. Feelings are weakness, weakness leads to death, and therefore you must not feel."

"No, Eric, you can keep it all locked inside you, but you do feel. I know you do."

"Sookie, you…"

"Eric, please, listen to me. I want to make you a deal."

"Another deal, my little one? You are quite full of deals tonight. What is it going to be this time? You will cry for nights and nights until I act the way you want me to?"

"No, Eric, I won't cry. I will tell you everything you want to know, all of it, no exceptions, if you will let your guard down when we are alone."

"If I will let my guard down? Are you aware of what you are saying?"

"Yes, I am. I get it, really. You are the big Sheriff of Area Five, Bad ASS Viking, no emotions, no weakness, but when we are alone there is no need for that. I am not your enemy, am I? You said we need to be a team now, to trust each other. I am ready to give you all my trust if you are ready to give me yours. This is the deal."

"Everything you say is true, however I don't know if I would be able to do that, little one." His shoulders dropped an inch and he put his elbows on his knees and his forehead in his hands. "You have no idea how much you ask of me."

"I have. You are asking the same thing of me. You ask me to put my life in your hands. I ask you to put your heart in mine. We both have to give up a part of ourselves in order to do that. To surrender. If you can't do this, how you can ask it of me?"

"For a thousand years I have learned how important it is for me to have control over myself; how important it is to not let anything affect me on the inside, not to let anything inside me to transpose to the outside. And now you ask me to give up a thousand years of habits and knowledge and just leave you in control?"

"I don't want to control you Eric. I never did. I want you to let me in, and to let yourself out. What's the point of living an eternity if you cannot enjoy it?"

"Survival! That's the point!"

"Survive for what? To feed, to fuck, to fight? To see the world changing around you, but to never be able to change? What's the point? Don't you get bored with all that? Don't you want more?"

"More? More of what, Sookie? More pain, more disappointment, more suffering? Because that's what happens when you let things matter to you. Trust me, I know!"

"Why? How? What happened to you?"

"That is a story for another time, my child." His voice trailed of as if he was tired. "Right now I want to know everything that you know you can do and everything you think you can do."

"Eric, I will tell you, but please! At least give me some hope. It takes a lot of trust to do this. Can you give me something in return? Please?" I took his hands in mine and I looked into his eyes pleadingly.

"Sookie, I will not promise this to you. I always keep my promises, therefore I tend to not promise anything that I am not sure I can accomplish. But I will try to give you what you need. I can sense how important it is for you."

I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly to me.

"Thank you Eric. You will not regret it. This I promise to you."

He snaked his hands around my waist and hugged me back. He leaned in and sniffed my neck.

"You smell so sweet, so delicious, little one. Would you allow me to taste you?"

Oh oh. I thought about it. I asked him to not feed on others, so I had to let him feed on me, I guess… But I had no idea how this would make me feel, how it would made him feel. Whether that would lead to something else. I made my decision.

"Okay Eric, but just to be sure, I agree that you can feed on me, nothing more, right?"

He chuckled and let his forehead rest on mine.

"Yes little one, just that. Your honor is not in jeopardy."

"It's not about honor, Eric. I have only made love with two men. Two vampires. And they both loved me at that time. Although you are the same, you don't love me any more. And I cannot settle for anything less, can you understand that?"

"Of course. I promise you I will just feed; nothing else."

And with that he leaned his head into the crook of my neck and started kissing it softly, licking me, nipping at me. My body started filling up with desire. Ribbons of fire started shooting through my veins. My arms started moving on their own accord. My fingers begin caressing tendrils of his hair, playing with them, feeling them, remembering them. I felt my body warming up, and my skin started tingling. He bit down. I felt the world exploding around me in bright colors: red, gold, purple, white, red… I felt patterns burning on my skin, on my arms, my forehead, my legs, my back and my abdomen… It felt like nothing I had ever experienced. It felt like pure energy was flowing through my veins. I felt strong and beautiful. He licked my neck and looked at me. His eyes were wild with desire.

"My Sookie. You are so beautiful. So unique. You taste like sunshine and honey and you look like a warrior princess. Right now I would give anything, everything to have you. But I did promise you and as I told you I always keep my promises."

He got up and walked through the door leading to our day chambers. He didn't look back.

I looked down at my hands and noticed a golden pattern swirling around my arms. I quickly ran to the mirror in the hallway and looked at myself. Eric was right; I did look like a warrior princess. My forehead was circled with a golden crown carved on my skin with gold. I looked eerie, out of this world, but beautiful and … dangerous somehow. I took my dress down and there they were. Golden swirls on my lower abdomen, on my thighs, on my legs. I turned around to check my back and I got the confirmation, my back had more of those golden swirls. I did not understood why this had happened to me. I guessed that it had something to do with my Fae heritage that Niall had told me about, but why did he not mention this? He did mention everything else, even things I did not want anyone to know about. That brought me back from my musings. I had to talk to Eric. I had promised him I would tell him everything I would and if he could keep his promises, then so could I. I looked back at the mirror and I was surprised to see that my image had returned to normal. No sign of golden swirls anywhere. I had to talk to Niall or Claudine again. Or maybe that Meriel…. Niall said that she could tell me everything about my 'condition'. I took my dress from the floor and quickly put it on and I left after Eric.

He was in his office bent over some papers.

"Eric, can I come in?" I asked from the door-frame.

He lifted his head and looked at me. He was himself again. In control. I sighed.

"Of course, Sookie, come in."

He leaned back on his chair and crossed his hands on the desk. I sat on one of the two chairs across from him.

"I can hear vampires but not all of them. I've only met you and Pam and I could hear her- without even trying; but not you - even when I tried. I don't feel the pull of the sun and I think that Niall is right about the sun not harming me - I can't be sure unless I literally go out in the sun. I can shoot that white light from my hands, but not consciously- I have no idea how that happened. And finally, what just happened - I don't even know how to describe that transformation - but it made me feel very strong… dangerous. This is all."

"Thank you Sookie."

He got up and circled his desk to sit on the chair near mine and turned both our chairs to face each other.

"Niall called and he said that Meriel has agreed to come here to help you with your training. She will travel from India and she will be here in two nights' time. I agreed to put one of my houses at her disposal. You will begin your training in three nights and I think it would be best if we do not provoke any use of your abilities during this time."

"Yes, you are right. Eric, you are acting strangely, are you okay?"

"No Sookie, I am not. I have not felt so out of control since I was a newborn vampire and I do not like it. But I will deal with it; you do not have to concern yourself."

"Eric, please don't lock me out. You are mad, I can see that. Let it out, yell at me, smash something, but don't be so cold with me."

"What would that change? Except for the decor? I was dealing with my anger long before you were born, child; do not think that you can teach me how to deal with my own anger."

He got up to leave but I didn't let him. I threw myself at him and hugged him tight.

"Eric, please, let me in. I love you. Please."

He just stood there, not making any move to hug me back, but not rejecting me either. I held him with all the power I had in me, trying to soothe him through our bond, sending him my love and my understanding. We stayed like that for some time and then he took my hands from his back and looked at me. "Dawn is near; I must shower and go to bed. You know where to find blood if you are thirsty. Please, do not go out during the day until Meriel arrives."

Without waiting for a reply he left. I stood there watching the door thinking how much I wanted to go with him, knowing that he would not appreciate it if I did. I had to be patient. As they said Rome wasn't built in a day.

I took a True Blood from the little fridge and warmed it up. I gulped it down and then left to find some sleep clothes among the piles of beautiful clothes that Pam had bought for me. Oops! I forgot to thank Pam for them. My Gran would tan my backside for this. I must remember to thank her tomorrow.

I took a blue silk babydoll nightdress and some matching panties and headed to the bathroom. Eric was already in bed. I showered as fast as I could, brushed my hair and removed my make-up. I got dressed and got into bed. I looked at Eric. He had his eyes closed but I felt through the bond that he wasn't dead for the day yet.

"Eric? You want me to leave you alone today?" It hurt me to say it, but I knew I had to give him space if that's what he needed.

He opened his eyes and looked at me like he was seeing me for the first time.

"Mitt lilla hjärta . No, I don't want you to leave me alone. Ever."

One moment we were two feet apart and the next we were in each others arms. I hugged him with all my might stroking his back, his hair, with my head resting on his shoulder and my feet tangled with his.

"Eric, baby, I love you."

TBC

Mittlilla hjärta= My little heart

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	7. Again Chapter 7

Many thanks to my dear Beta, All About Eric for her patience and support while writing this.

Disclaimer: none of these characters belong to me, they belong to Charlaine Harris.

A little warning: this story will change to M rating soon. Anyone younger than 18 years old - be aware.

I woke up alone. I threw out my mental radar and I found him in his office with Pam. I got up from the bed and walked to the bathroom to freshen up. After a quick shower, brushing my hair and applying my make-up I went to the closet to get dressed. I took my time looking through the clothes Pam had acquired for me - they were all made of high quality soft materials in bright colors, mostly dresses ( casual as well as ball gowns) but there were a few pairs of jeans as well and lots and lots of lingerie. She had taken her time in picking my wardrobe trying to meet my taste but still considering Eric's requirements; she had done a great job.

I picked out a red panties and bra set and a red silk dress with a square neckline that made my boobs look very good. The dress was figure fitting and it stopped just above the knees and I matched it with a pair of golden pumps. I looked in the mirror and decided to put my hair up from the sides and let it fall back in loose curls; I wanted to show my neck but still let my hair partly loose.

I entered the office in the middle of an argument. Both Eric and Pam turned to me but Pam was the first to address me.

"My, Sookie, you look good; delicious," she leered at me.

"Thank you, Pam," I responded not looking in her eyes. "I want to thank you also for the wonderful clothes you bought for me. I never had such wonderful things."

"Oh, that's just the beginning. That is what I call 'the emergency kit'; I intend to buy much more soon. You need to have at least as many clothes as I do, after all you are my sister now." She grinned a fangy grin.

"And how many clothes do you have Pam?" I asked.

"Who knows?"

Eric watched our conversation with an amused expression.

"You fail to greet me, my bonded." He extended a hand in my direction.

I walked towards him not knowing exactly what to expect. He pulled me onto his lap and kissed my forehead.

"You look ravishing, little one."

"Thank you."

His hands were caressing my arms and my back. If I could still blush I would have been as red as a tomato. I didn't know how to act. I was not used to this warm and caring Eric.

"My little one, we must speak." He said this in a serious tone but his hands kept petting me. "Pam has just informed me that my investigators have found your brother. It seems that one of the werepanthers had kidnapped him and bitten him several times. He is well, you don't have to worry about his health but at the first full moon we will see if he becomes a panther or not."

"What do you mean 'if he becomes a panther or not'? Why would he became a panther?"

"When a were bites a human, the human may be infected and become a were too. However he will not be a full were, he will just transform at full moon, he doesn't have much control over the transformation."

"Oh, God! Poor Jason! How can I help him?"

"There is nothing you can do. He is well now. We will meet him at Fangtasia later. All you can do now is wait for the full moon and then we will know. If he becomes a werepanther, then the pack leader of the panthers at Hot Shot will take him into his care. Until then, there is nothing to be done about it."

"Thank you Eric. I don't know how you managed to find him so fast, but I appreciate it. He is the only family I have."

"I know, little one, that's why I did it."

I leaned my head against his shoulder. I felt so good. So light. All my worries were gone. I was able to walk in the sun, my brother was safe, and I had a lot of new family members - my vampires, the Fairies… It seemed that all my troubles were over.

"As much as I would like to let you enjoy a quiet night, I must point out that your problems are far from over." Eric said into my hair.

"What now?"

"In order to register you as my child I had to tell the queen about you. It seems that she already knew you were telepathic. She asked me if you retained your telepathy and I had to tell her that you did. I did not inform her that your telepathy has now increased, but she asked to meet you."

"How she would know that I am telepathic? Did she tell you how she found out about me?"

"The Queen rarely gives any explanations, but we have to meet her later tonight and you'll have a chance to look inside her mind and find out more about this matter."

"Tonight? Am I dressed smartly enough to meet the Queen? Is there any protocol about how I should act around her?"

"Pam will teach you everything you have to know on the way; now you must feed and we will leave to meet your brother."

Eric got up and warmed three blood bags and Pam poured the blood into three opaque glasses.

"I'll go take a shower until you girls finish your glasses.

Eric drank down his blood and went to the bathroom.

"This tastes good," I said to Pam.

"Well, since you would not let Eric feed on anyone I had to find some real blood for him so he would keep his strength up'" she smiled.

"Thank you Pam. I am very grateful for this."

"I was always fond of you, you know; you were pretty good for a human. But now that you are my sister and my Master's bonded, I will help you in any way that I can so that you can adjust to this new life. I know it's hard for you, but you must learn to accept the things that you can't change."

"Yes, I know, but that's easier said than done."

"Well, you do have an eternity ahead of you, so you have the time." She smirked at me and then turned to leave the room.

"I will pack everything you will need for the meeting with the Queen," she said over her shoulder.

I drank all the blood from my glass and poured another. It would be a long night, I had better be prepared. Eric came back and watched me from the doorway. I finished the blood quickly and put the glass back on the tray on Eric's desk.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"Sure."

"Let's go."

We arrived at Fangtasia a few minutes later due to Eric's fast driving. We entered through the back door and we went straight in his office. Eric took his phone and dialed quickly.

"Has he arrived?"

"Yes, Master"

"Bring him to me."

He ended the call and threw his phone on the desk in front of him.

"Take a chair and come and sit by me; I have to be close to you in case you want to bite him."

"What? You think I would bite my own brother?"

"No, I think you have fantastic control over your bloodlust. But you are new, little one, and we don't know yet if this control is permanent."

I took a chair and went to sit by Eric. There was a knock on the door and then Jason came in. He looked pale and tired but he seemed fine.

"Oh my God, Sookie! What happened? Sam told me you are a vampire now but he did not tell me how it happened."

"Jason, I'm so glad you are okay. I was so worried about you. I was shot, I was dying and Eric turned me. I'm fine, really."

"How can you say that? I told you that he was going to get you in trouble didn't I? You should have stayed away from these bloodsuckers, Sookie," he yelled at me.

"Shut your mouth Jason Stackhouse! You negotiated with Pam that I would take care of Eric, remember? And now I am one of these 'blood suckers', in case you haven't noticed!" I was sobbing at this point.

Eric got up from his chair, moved in front of Jason and grabbed his neck.

"Eric, please don't! He's my brother."

"He seems to forgotten this, so maybe he needs someone to make him remember." He lifted Jason a few inches from the ground so he could look him directly in the eye. "Listen to me bloodbag, the only reason that I'm not draining you right now is because your sister cares for you. If you speak to her this way again, you will regret the day you were born into this world, and all the moments that followed it. DO. YOU. UNDERSTAND?"

"Y-Yes. I understand," Jason mumbled.

"Now apologize to your sister."

"I'm sorry Sook, you know me, my mouth always speaks before my brain think things through."

"Yes, I know, Jason. Listen I have to go for a while, so please take care. Don't go looking for trouble, you hear me?"

"Sure, Sook, I'll be careful. You will be okay, right?"

"Yes, I'll be fine."

"Eric put him down on the floor and he left without looking back. Eric was beside me in a moment.

"My Sookie, he will adjust, he just needs time. Trust me."

"I know Eric, but it's just so hard. He didn't even say that he's happy I didn't die. For good I mean. He was just angry that I'm a vampire. If he can't accept this then how is he going to accept that he might be a werepanther?"

"I didn't see the need to tell him. If he doesn't turn there is no point scaring him, and if he turns, there's nothing he can do about it. I have someone following him from a distance, so he'll be safe."

"He doesn't know. I guess that is for the best. Thank you for taking care of my brother for me, Eric. I know you don't like him much."

"I don't. He did not take very good care of you as an older brother should. But it doesn't matter now. I will take very good care of you, you will want for nothing."

"I just want to learn to take care of myself, Eric. I always took care of myself and it was fine."

"Fine is not good enough, my little one. You will be wonderful, I will personally see to it."

The door opened and Pam came in.

"I see that you two are getting along better. Good. The Queen will see if anything is amiss, so you'd better save any fighting for when you come back home. Everything is ready for your departure. The plane is waiting."

"Let's get going." I took Eric's hand and off we went.

Eric drove while I sat in the back with Pam who was lecturing me about how I should behave in the presence of the Queen. Apparently the rules were pretty simple: bow, do not speak unless you are spoken to, say as little as possible, follow Eric's lead. We arrived at a private airport just outside Shreveport and there was a small plane waiting at the end of the runway. The pilot and one stewardess were waiting for us and after they greeted us they went to load our luggage. Pam came towards us.

"Good luck, Master, I hope all goes well."

"Take care of the bar Pam; we will be back as soon as we can."

Even if it seemed small from the outside, the interior of the plane was large and luxurious yet comfortable. There were just a few large chairs covered in leather, two coffee tables and two loveseats. Also when I was seated in my chair I noticed that there was a big TV at the front. Eric came to sit in the chair beside me. The stewardess came to ask us if we needed anything, but I was too nervous to drink blood right now. Eric didn't order anything either. As soon as we were alone he pulled me to him and buried his face in my hair.

"There is nothing to be afraid of, Sookie. The Queen can ask you to work for her from time to time, but she can't take you from me. You are my child and bonded, no one can interfere with this under the penalty of final death."

"I'm just nervous about meeting a Queen, I guess. And about finding out how she knew about me."

"We will find out soon enough. Don't forget to listen to her thoughts and to her child Andre's thoughts as well."

"How do I know which one is Andre?"

"He will be the only one besides the Queen who will question you. Tell me, my Sookie, would it be possible for me to transmit thoughts to you in any way?"

"I don't know, maybe, give it a try."

You are so beautiful in red, my Sookie.

"Thank you, and yes, it worked."

"Good, this will be our secret weapon," he grinned.

I let my head rest on his chest as the plane began to descend onto the Queen's private runway. We were in New Orleans.

TBC

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	8. Again Chapter 8

Many thanks to my dear Beta, All About Eric for her patience and support while writing this.

Disclaimer: none of these characters belong to me, they belong to Charlaine Harris.

Again, I put some paragraphs from CH book five but slightly changed, so if you recognize some of the Queen's compound descriptions, you will know where they came from.

A little warning: this story will change to M rating soon. Anyone younger than 18 years old - be aware.

I let my head rest on his chest as the plane began to descend onto the Queen's private runway. We were in New Orleans.

We got off the plane and there was a limousine waiting for us. The limo driver was waiting for us in front of the back door. I scanned his brain and figured he was a Were. I found it easier to identify what kind of race a person was, for example the Weres had foggy red brainwaves, the wereanimals had blurry purple brainwaves and shifters had mixed color brainwaves. This might come in handy sometime. I would have to work on identifying what kind of wereanimal a person was based on his brain colors and patterns. But right now I had to see if the driver was up to something. I checked his thoughts and found that he had been given orders by a young-looking vampire with creepy eyes to bring us directly to the Queen's mansion.

The driver opened the door for us.

„Welcome Mr. Northman, Miss Stackhouse. If you will climb in, I'll take care of the luggage."

He closed the door after us and went to the plane to load our luggage in the limo's trunk.

Eric turned towards me.

„Is he trustworthy?"

„He is one of the Queen's drivers, a Were; he was sent to drive us by some teenage-looking vampire."

„Andre. The Queen's child."

„He's creepy."

„And very dangerous. Be careful how you behave in his presence. He must not suspect that you can read vampire minds, Sookie."

„I know Eric. Trust me. I am very experienced at hiding my ability from others."

The driver climbed in the front and started the engine and drove out of the airport and into the crazy big city traffic. The buildings slid by my window fast, but I wasn't really looking at them. I was very nervous about meeting the Queen and her creepy child.

Too soon we drove through a big iron gate where the driver stopped for a moment to identify himself to the guards and then he parked the car in front of a big mansion. The queen owned a block of buildings in down-town New Orleans, maybe three blocks from the edge of the French Quarter. That tells you what kind of money she was pulling in, right there.

Eric and I got out of the limo, me trying my best not to flash anyone while doing it, and then we headed towards the marble steps of the mansion in front of us.

Two vampires, a male and a female, were at the entrance and the bowed to Eric and me. The female looked hispanic and was heavily armed. The other guard was a sturdy man with brown skin and a nose as curved as a rainbow. He'd been born somewhere in the Middle East, once upon a time. The name patch attached with Velcro to his helmet said RASUL.

"Good evening Sheriff, Miss Stackhouse. Would you please follow me?" the male vampire said.

We followed him silently and passed a big crowd gathered there.

Though the general public didn't know Sophie-Anne Leclerq was a queen, they knew she was a very wealthy vampire who owned a hell of a lot of real estate and spent lots of money in the community. Plus, her bodyguards were colorful and had gotten special permits to carry arms inside the city limits. This meant her office building/living quarters were on the tourist list of things to see, especially at night. The square of streets around it was open only to pedestrians. Buses parked a block away, and the tour guides would lead the out-of-towners past the altered building. Walking tours and gaggles of independent tourists included what the guides called "Vampire Headquarters" in their plans.

As we approached the next ring of guards, a man jumped in front of us and snapped our picture. I was frozen by the flash of light and stared after him—or in what I thought was his direction—while my eyes adjusted. When I was able to see him clearly, I found he was a small, grubby man with a big camera and a determined expression. He bustled off immediately to what I guessed was his accustomed station, a corner on the opposite side of the street. His thoughts were full of hate for all the vampires. I had a bad feeling about this incident. When Eric talked to one of the guards, my suspicion was confirmed.

"He's a Fellowship spy, we're forbidden to kill him," Rasul said, as if he were explaining a slightly embarrassing folk custom.

He smiled at me, which was kind of disconcerting, too. The black helmet came down low on his face and the chinstrap was the kind that actually rounded his chin, so I could see only a little bit of his face. At the moment, that bit was mostly sharp, white, teeth.

"The Fellowship photographs everyone who goes in and out of this place, and there doesn't seem to be anything we can do about it, since we want to keep the goodwill of the humans."

"It would be lovely if something happened to his camera," I suggested. "The Fellowship is hunting me already." Though I felt pretty guilty, asking a vampire to arrange an accident to a human being, I was fond enough of my own life or unlife to want it saved.

His eyes gleamed as we passed under a streetlight. The light caught them so that for a moment they shone red, like people's eyes sometimes do when the photographer is using a flash.

"Oddly enough, a few things have happened to his cameras already," Rasul said. "In fact, two of them have been smashed beyond repair. What's one more accident? I'm not guaranteeing anything, but we'll do our best, lovely lady."

"Thank you so much," I mumbled very relieved.

"Anything you can do will be much appreciated," Eric said.

"Here is Melanie," he said, as we reached the main doors. "I'll pass you on to her, and return to my post."

Melanie was a delicate woman, even in the SWAT gear.

"Yum, yum, you do smell like fairy," she said looking at me like she couldn't wait to sink her fangs in my neck. She consulted her own clipboard. "You are Sheriff Northman and his child? The Queen is waiting for you."

"Chester," Melanie called. Chester was the next guard in line, and he was standing with a familiar figure clothed in the (what I was coming to think of as) usual SWAT garb.

"Bubba!" I exclaimed, as the vampire said, "Miss Sookie!"

Bubba and I hugged, to the vampires' amusement. Vampires don't shake hands, in the ordinary course of things, and hugging is just as outré in their culture.

"Mister Eric, I'm glad you brought Miss Sookie here with you." Bubba bowed deeply.

"Bubba." Eric nodded towards the young vampire.

I was glad to see they hadn't let him have a gun, just the accoutrements of the guards. He was looking fine in the military outfit, and I told him so.

"Black looks real good with your hair," I said, and Bubba smiled his famous smile.

"You're mighty nice to say so," he said. "Thank you very much."

Back in the day, everyone in the world had known Bubba's face and smile. When he'd been wheeled into the morgue in Memphis, a vampire attendant had detected the tiniest flicker of life. Since the attendant was a huge fan, he had taken on the responsibility for bringing the singer over, and a legend had been born. Unfortunately, Bubba's body had been so saturated with drugs and physical woes that the conversion hadn't been entirely successful, and the vampire world passed Bubba around like the public relations nightmare he was.

"How long have you been here, Bubba?" I asked.

"Oh, a couple of weeks, but I like it real well," he said. "Lots of stray cats."

"Right," I said, trying not to think about that too graphically. I really like cats. So did Bubba, but not in the same way.

He trailed along after us as Chester led us further into the building. We had turned, and gone up a floor, encountering more and more vampires—and a few humans—heading here or there with a purposeful air. It was like any busy office building, any weekday, except the workers were vampires and the sky outside was as dark as the New Orleans sky ever got.

Chester stopped before a door that didn't look any different from all the other closed doors, except for the two whacking big vampires outside it.

The two must have been considered giants in their day, since they stood perhaps six foot three, almost as big as Eric. They looked like brothers, but maybe it was just their size and mien, and the color of their chestnut hair, that sparked the comparison: big as boulders, bearded, with ponytails that trailed down their backs, the two looked like prime meat for the pro wrestling circuit. One had a huge scar across his face, acquired before death, of course. The other had had some skin disease in his original life. They weren't just display items; they were absolutely lethal.

These two vampires were hung with knives, and each had an axe in his belt. I guess they figured if someone had penetrated this far, guns weren't going to make a difference. Plus their own bodies were weapons.

"Bert, Bert," Chester said, nodding to each one in turn. "Here are Sheriff Northman and Miss Stackhouse; the queen wants to see them." He turned and walked away, leaving us with the queen's bodyguards.

"Miss Sookie, Mister Eric, I have to leave you now. I hope I'll see you again soon, Miss Sookie."

"Me too, Bubba, good bye."

Bubba bowed to us too and turned and trailed after Chester.

"Sheriff," they bowed towards Eric.

"Sigebert, Wybert." Eric returned the nod.

I followed his example and bowed towards the big scary vampires.

"The queen is . . . busy," Wybert said. "When she wants you in her room, the light, it will shine." He indicated a round light set in the wall to the right of the door.

So we were stuck here for an indefinite time—until the light, it shone. Quickly I scanned their brains, but found nothing useful. They were thinking in a very strange language but I was able to understand it very easy, like it was in English. So Niall was right, I was able to understand any language; this was a great gift combined with my telepathy. The Berts were very simple minded and very loyal to the queen. I snapped my shields in place and waited patiently.

"Go now," Sigebert said and pushed open the heavy door. He and Wybert gave us matching nods of farewell as we walked over the threshold and into a room that was like any executive's office anywhere.

Sophie-Anne Leclerq, Queen of Louisiana, was sitting at a round table piled with papers. She was an elegant woman, perhaps four inches shorter than my height of five foot six, and she was groomed down to the last eyelash. Makeup, dress, hair, stockings, jewelry—the whole nine yards. She must have been very young when she died, maybe no more than fifteen. There were two other people in the room. A short man stood about three feet behind the queen's chair, his legs apart, his hands clasped in front of him. He had close-cut white-blond hair and bright blue eyes. His face lacked maturity; he looked like a large child, but with a man's shoulders. He was wearing a suit, and he was armed with a saber and a gun. Andre, I identified him.

On a chair at the Queens right sat a female vampire with long blonde hair, all dressed in red. She looked familiar.

At the sound we made entering the door the Queen raised her gaze from the papers in front of her, the male vampire got a little closer to the Queen, taking a protective stance and the female vampire jumped from her chair and came at me.

"Cousin! I'm so glad to see you!"

Cousin? What…. Hadley?

"Hadley? Is that you?"

"Of course it's me, silly! Don't you recognize me?"

Well, to be perfectly honest, no, I didn't recognize her. The last time I saw her she was drunk or heavily drugged. Or both.

"Hadley, what are you doing here, and… are you a vampire now? How did this happen?"

The Queen was watching us slightly amused. She approached us and extended a hand in a regal manner.

"Miss Stackhouse, I heard a lot about you from your cousin here. I'm glad I finally have the chance to meet you in person."

Like Pam taught me, I took her hand in mine and dipped my forehead towards it. But the moment my hand touched hers her thoughts invaded my mind. It was like getting caught in a tornado. Flashes of Hadley telling her about her crazy gifted cousin who could read minds, Bill kneeling in front of the Queen receiving orders to go to Bon Temps to procure me, Bill reporting to her on the phone, everything seemed to fall into place. Suddenly it all became clear to me. I had been betrayed by my cousin. I had been deceived by my first lover, the first man I ever loved. I was a tool for them to be used however they see fit. I was nothing.

"NO!" I screamed.

My mind was roaring with anger, my body tingling with energy.

"Sookie" I heard Eric yelling at me, but it was too late. I was too far gone.

My eyes were burning, my skin was on fire, my hands started glowing.

"You will pay, you will all pay!" I boomed.

Bright light flashed from my hands towards the Queen. Unfortunately, Andre zipped in front of the Queen to protect her and my light hit him fully. He disintegrated right in front of me. The Queen started screaming while Eric caught me in a tight embrace from behind.

"Sookie, stop this!" he yelled.

I looked down and I noticed that my arms were covered in golden swirls and there were golden stars inlaid on the back of my hands. The tips of my fingers were glowing brightly. Oh my God! I just killed a man. I looked at the pile of ashes on the floor and I felt my stomach tighten.

The Berts rushed through the door and dragged Eric off me, throwing him to the floor. One of them grabbed my arm and a big fist connected with my temple.

And then everything went black.

TBC

 

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and please don't forget to review!


	9. Again Chapter 9

Many thanks to my dear Beta, All About Eric for her patience and support while writing this.

Disclaimer: none of these characters belong to me, they belong to Charlaine Harris.

A little warning: this story will change to M rating in the next chapter! Anyone younger than 18 years old - be aware.

I woke up with a start. I didn't know where I was at first, but soon all the recent events came back to me. Hadley sold me out to the Queen, Bill betrayed me, and I killed the Queen's child. Oh God! I felt my stomach tighten like I was about to throw up. My head began to spin and my mind got blurry. What would I do now? The Queen was going to kill me! And Eric! Oh God, Eric! He would know what to do… but…. where was he?

"Eric!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

I looked around me but there was nothing to see. I was lying on the floor in a small room with nothing in it but me. Right in front of me was a heavy door made of something shiny. Silver, I mused. I am a prisoner.

Of course I was: I attacked the Queen and killed her child. I wondered if Eric was going to be able to get me out of this mess. If he would even want to help me. He'd told me that control was very important for a vampire and he was right. And now, because I hadn't learned this lesson fast enough, I was going to be punished, or even killed. And this time it would be for good.

I got up and started pacing. There was nothing I could do to change the things I'd done, but there had to be a way out. There must be a way for me to save myself.

The queen was smart and devious, or at least that's what Pam told me. She had to see that it would be better for her to use me than to kill me.

How strange this life had turned out to be…. Five nights ago when I first woke up in this existence, all I had wanted to do was end it all. I'd wanted to be dead, finally dead. But now I felt like I wanted to hang on with teeth and claws to this new life, to Eric.

I hoped Eric was okay and that he had not been affected by my mistake. I hoped he was safe. But if I was honest with myself I did not believe it. I reached through the bond to feel him, but there was nothing but a low hum from him. I did not feel any emotions coming from him, nothing. He must be asleep, so it must be daytime.

Oh shit! If someone saw me now, awake, I would be in more trouble than I already was.

Quickly I lay down trying to take up the same position that I had been in when I woke up. I reached out with my mental radar and I recognized a few Were brains. I got inside one and immediately I was surrounded by his thoughts. It was like being inside a scandal magazine: a lot of pages filled with nothing but bubbling. I tried to go through all the nonsense that was in there to see something that could give me a clue as to where I was, what was going to happen to me, and most important, where Eric was.

I discovered that I was locked inside one of the high security cells in the basement of the Queen's mansion, it was nearly sunset and Eric was locked in another cell, tied in silver. Oh my God! Why did they tie him with silver? I'm the one who attacked the Queen, he stopped me!

My body started glowing in the darkness of the cell. Golden patterns started showing on my hands. Calm down, Sookie. This is exactly what got you into this mess. Now remember what Eric said, control your emotions, they are weakness.

The bond inside me started coming to life. Eric was awakening! Pain shot through me and everything inside me burned. So this was what it was like to be silvered. How could anyone stand this much pain and not go insane? How could Eric survive this? He must hate me now; I'm to blame for all this. He once told me that I was so much trouble and I guess truer words had never been spoken. I was only a few nights old as his vampire child and look where I'd got him.

I reached though the bond and tried to push love and remorse towards him. I didn't know if it would work but I had to try something, to help him someway. But then I felt him shutting down the bond and I felt empty. He had left me alone. I reached again with my mind looking for him and I found him a few cells to my left but I couldn't get inside his mind. Why was it that I could read the mind of every creature in this world, but the one that really mattered to me had his mind forever closed? No attempt at breaking the barrier that surrounded his mind was successful. It was like an impregnable fortress. And I was locked outside.

Two Weres approached my cell and unlocked my door. I kept my eyes closed.

"She doesn't look very heavy; I'll throw her over my shoulder so we can get her to the Queen," one of them stated.

"Isn't she supposed to be awake by now? The sun has already set."

"She's very young; the young ones need a little more time to wake up. She should be awake by the time we reach the Queen's court."

One of them grabbed me roughly and threw me over his shoulder and they both started walking. I started struggling as if I was just waking up.

The Were holding me threw me to the floor and the other one held a gun to my face.

"Stop moving or I shoot you right now!"

"Who are you, where are you taking me?" I tried to look as frightened as possible.

"The Queen wants to see you, so you'd better start walking right now, she doesn't like to wait!"

"Okay, just let me get up."

They stepped back a little so I would have enough room to get up and then they both grabbed one of my arms and started dragging me towards a big door guarded by two vampire guards.

"This is the Stackhouse woman," one of the Weres stated.

"The Queen is waiting for her," said a vampire guard.

We went into a big room decorated in white and gold with dark wood floors covered with thick carpets. There was not a lot of furniture except for the throne that the Queen was currently occupying. A few vampire guards including the Berts were standing in front of her and Hadley was standing at her right with a scared expression on her face. I guess it was me that scared her that much. Good!

"Miss Stackhouse, you are here to be judged for your actions of last night. You are accused of treason, attempted murder of the Queen and murder of the Queen's child Andre Paul. Do you understand the accusations?" the Queen's voice boomed in the big room.

"Yes, your Majesty," I lowered my eyes so that she could not see the anger I held in them.

"What do you have to say in your defense, Miss Stackhouse?"

"Your Majesty," I kept my voice low and pleading and my head bowed "I did not plan for this. I didn't even know that I was capable of this. I just saw Hadley and remembered the last time she left Bon Temps and never came back and my Gran was so worried about her; she thought that she was in some trouble, and aunt Linda got cancer and suffered and Hadley didn't even call and now she's dead, and Gran is dead too and all this time Hadley was here. So I felt very angry. And then it just happened. I'm very sorry your Majesty"

"That's your explanation? You got angry because Hadley didn't call?"

"Your Majesty, I know it doesn't make sense now, but I'm not very in control of my emotions. The tiniest thing makes me cry and I get angry for no reason. I'm very new to this. I did not control my emotions very well. The first thing my Maker told me was to keep my emotions in check and I failed him." I raised my eyes towards the Queen and give her a pleading look. "He must be very disappointed in me."

"He should be!" the Queen shot me a glare. "Your mistake has cost him everything, including his freedom!"

"Please, your Majesty! Don't punish him for what I did! He was not aware of what I was capable of, and he stopped me. Please!" I threw myself on my knees and begged. "Please don't punish him! I'll do anything!"

The queen stood and waved the Berts away. She came closer to me and grabbed my chin to look at my face. By then my bloody tears were flowing freely.

"Anything? Really?"

"I swear I'll do anything you ask of me, just let him go, please!"

"You there!" she spoke to a vampire standing behind me. "Bring Northman!"

The vampire left and another one came to stand behind me. He was holding a sword in his hands, ready to cut my head off at my first movement.

It wasn't long before the vampire came back with Eric. I turned my head slowly and then I saw him. He looked pale, paler then usual, with stripes of burned flesh across his neck and hands, his back was hunched and his head was bent like he was carrying a big weight on his shoulders. He did not look at me. He went to one knee and rested his elbows on his knee.

"Your Majesty," he spoke.

'Sookie nod slightly if you can hear me.'

I was lucky that I was still on my knees and with my face turned towards Eric otherwise the Queen would have noticed the look of joy that crossed my face. Barely moving my head I nodded.

'Good, now I want to know what you told the Queen. I told her that I knew nothing of this power that you had and I didn't know what came over you to make you act like that, did you say anything more?'

I held my head still so he would know that I didn't say anything.

'Now try not to say anything unless the Queen asks you something and then you listen to what I tell you to say, you understand?'

I nodded. I felt inside me the bond open just a little. He was still in a lot of pain.

While we were having this silent conversation, the Queen took a laptop and hit a few keys and then she came towards Eric turning the laptop so he could see the screen.

"Explain this!"

She hit a key and Eric watched the screen intently. A few moments later he answered.

"Your Majesty, I can't explain this. It has never happened before. Sookie has been a vampire for only five nights, she is very emotional still. I remember that I warned your Majesty that she was too young to come before you, that she still had a lot to learn before being in such high company, but your Majesty insisted."

"I am aware of that Northman," the Queen snapped "but I don't recall you telling me that your new child was this dangerous! Not to mention that she is immune to silver! How could you miss this?"

"I did not know; I'm sorry I failed you, my Queen."

He bowed deeply, still on his knee. I am immune to silver? I guess that explains why I was not wrapped in silver chains when I woke up.

"I am very disappointed in you. You were my most trusted sheriff and yet your child tried to kill me! My child had to sacrifice himself to save me! That should have been you!"

"Yes, my Queen."

"You know I should end you for this?"

"I know."

"But I can't help but realize what a great asset Miss Stackhouse would be for me with the proper training. And who better to train her than her own Maker?. Do not think that I will forget what happened, Northman, your position and financial holdings are still under suspension. Do you understand my offer?"

"Yes, your Majesty, I am very grateful that you are giving me this opportunity to prove that I am your loyal subject."

"Do not fail me again, Viking!"

"I will not."

"Good, now command your child never to attack me or mine again."

"Sookie, as your Maker I command you never to attack Queen Sophie- Ann or her subjects."

I felt the familiar ropes of his command tying me, suppressing my freewill. The Queen was not stupid, nor did she take any chances.

"Good, now you and your child will be hosted in a special apartment that has its walls and door lined with silver, just in case; Rasul will lead you," she smiled an evil smile. "Tomorrow night you will begin your training, until then, rest and feed well; you will need all your strength in dealing with your child."

"Yes, my Queen, thank you for your thoughtfulness." Eric bowed. I followed his lead and bowed to the Queen and then we walked after Rasul.

The apartment was very luxurious, decorated in rich colors with a four-poster bed draped in sapphire blue and thick carpets with beautiful dark blue patterns and a vanity table with a small stool upholstered in blue velvet. It would be a fantastic apartment if we were not prisoners in it. Rasul left without so much as a word and locked the door behind him.

'Do not say anything to incriminate yourself, the room may be bugged' Eric thought at me.

I nodded and then I approached him and lifted my hair off my neck.

"You need blood, please take mine."

He looked deeply into my eyes and sighed, then he took the base of my neck in his right hand, circling my waist with his other hand and buried his fangs in my neck.

Everything seemed better, easier. I knew that I had Eric so the rest didn't weigh as much. Whatever happened I knew that we would be together and somehow we'd get over this.

He ended his feeding and licked my wound closed. Then he took my hand and led me towards the bathroom where he turned the sink taps and the shower too.

"This way they cannot hear what we say," he whispered in my ear. "Now tell me, little one, what exactly did you see in the Queen's mind that made you go ballistic on her?"

TBC

A/N Special thanks to Jaxg and Jan of Arc for their help with some phrases that I was struggling with.

Please leave a review, let me know what you think, if you liked it, or not.


	10. Again Chapter 10

Many thanks to my dear Beta, All About Eric for her patience and support while writing this.

Disclaimer: none of these characters belong to me, they belong to Charlaine Harris.

 

"This way they cannot hear what we say," he whispered in my ear. "Now tell me, little one, what exactly did you see in the Queen's mind that made you go ballistic on her?"

"I'm sorry Eric, I really did not intend to put us in danger." I lowered my head. "I was so shocked to see that Hadley told the Queen about my telepathy and the Queen sent Bill to 'procure' me. Eric, it was never real, what I had with Bill, my first love, my first relationship, it was never real! Bill came to Bon Temps to seduce me and bring me to the Queen. Everything he did was at her orders…. He even let the Rattrays beat me nearly to death so that he could feed me his blood at her orders. And all this because my stupid cousin wanted to become the Queen's favorite."

Tears flowed freely from my eyes and I felt ashamed that I looked so weak and helpless. All my life I had been weak and helpless, I was the crazy person that all pitied and avoided. But now I was a vampire; now I supposed to be strong and unemotional, and still here I was crying because my cousin sold me and my first lover was ordered to be with me. Lame…

I felt Eric's hands on the sides of my head and he lifted my face to him.

"My dear Sookie, you have had a lot to deal with since you became a vampire, haven't you? This new life has not treated you lightly but know this: whatever you have to deal with, you are not alone, I am here, I always will be."

I let my forehead rest on his chest and my emotions started to temper down. I was still angry and hurt, but Eric was right. I was not alone anymore. Besides, I got us in very dangerous situation, so now we had to figure a way to get out of this mess.

"I must say that I realized that the Queen sent Compton to procure you the minute Hadley called you 'cousin'. It was only logical that the Queen would want to have a telepath for herself and Compton is the only vampire that came to my area lately, so this was not news to me. However I do think that even though it started at the Queen's orders, he did develop true feelings towards you."

"It doesn't matter if he developed some pathetic affection towards me after he let me be beaten and took my virginity! He was a snake and he hurt me deeply; I hope that sometime I'll have the chance to even the score."

"We will punish him for what he did to you, my dear one, but now we do have another matter on hand: the Queen. She has not finished with our punishment; I expect that she will find a way to hurt you soon. She is very creative like that."

"Hurt me? How? I thought that she did that… You were silvered and she took everything from you…. Oh my God, she punished you, not me! Why did she do that? Why didn't she punish me?"

"Because she couldn't. She silvered you and that did not hurt you; she wanted to torture you, but if you can't be restrained in silver, you could have just broken the restraints and attacked the torturer, and that would only lead to more deaths and still no punishment for you. Sophie could have ordered you staked or cut your head off, but that would have been a stupid thing to do, and she is not stupid. She wants you punished but she doesn't want you dead, and this works to our advantage. She will probably punish you through me. That is how I would do it. She will make me open our bond and silver me and torture me so that you can feel it. However I will not open the bond; you will have to fake the pain, can you do that?"

"Eric, Oh Lord! This can't be true; she can't do this to you. You did nothing wrong!"

"Hush now. She can and she will. She is the queen."

In that moment I knew what we had to do.

"We must kill her, mustn't we?"

"Yes, we must kill her. We will never be free if we do not kill her."

"But how? You ordered me not to hurt her,so I can't and if she tortures you then you'll be too weak. How do we do this?"

"Pam will help us. And my other child,Krystle; she'll come if I need her."

"Your other child? You have another child? How many children do you have, Eric?"

"Jealous, my dear? There's no need for that. I have two children other than you; Pam and Krystle, but they are not as close to me as you are, and they never were."

"You mean that you never had sex with them?"

"Of course I had sex with them! I'm not a saint. What I mean is I made them because I was bored and tired of being alone. I did not know them before I turned them, I taught them everything they needed to know in order to survive, and then I let them go."

His hand gently took my chin and made my head rise from his chest. He looked me in the eye.

"Sookie, I was attracted to you from the minute I saw you. I knew even then that you were different; that you were like no other. I never felt this close to anyone. Not even when I was human. You are closer to me than anyone ever was or ever will be. You are a part of me, and that's why I try to make it as easy as I can for you to acclimatize to this new life. Make no mistake, I will still punish you when you deserve it, but I will try to give you everything you desire, so that you can be happy. But do not think now that you'll have me wrapped around your little finger and that you will do whatever you want with me. I sense your feelings and I will know when something is important to you and when you just want something to see if you can get it. That is why I agreed not to feed and have sex with the fangbangers at Fangtasia. I knew that this was very important to you. How you feel is important to me, because you are a part of me, and so are your feelings. Do you understand what I'm saying, Sookie?"

His hand was now gently stroking my left cheek.

"Yes Eric, I understand. And I will try to do the same to you. I know that I'm impulsive and don't think much before I act, but I will try harder, I promise."

I leaned my face into his hand. It felt so good when I was near him, when I was touching him. I slowly turned my head and kissed his palm. He let out a low growl and with his other hand he encircled my waist and brought me closer. My skin began tingling again but this time I barely noticed.

"Sookie…"

He looked at me questioningly, as if to ask me if I really wanted this. I did. I raised my left hand and grabbed his neck and then I kissed him on the chin, then on his left cheek, then on the corner of his lips, and then I opened my mouth and grabbed his lower lip between my teeth, really careful so that my little fangs didn't pierce his skin.

That was the only answer he needed. He crushed me against him and took hold of my lips. Oh dear God, I'd been kissed before but never like this! His lips were caressing mine; his tongue was in my mouth doing wonderful things against my tongue, his hands were roaming on my back and my hands were tangled in his hair. The entire world was lost to us. There was nothing but us. His body was so hard that my body molded against him. His mouth let go of mine just to trail kisses down my jaw, on to my neck. My insides started to melt. Shots of fire trailed through my body at his every kiss, every touch. My touches began to feel more urgent. I wanted to touch more of him, to see more of him so I ripped his shirt off. He was so beautiful, so perfect.

"Mine." I wowed.

One of his hands caressed my neck and grabbed the dress I was wearing and ripped it off me. Lightning columns shot from my skin creating the swirls of gold. My body was glowing brightly against his body. I put my right hand on the center of his chest and I looked him straight in the eyes.

"I love you Eric."

He put his left hand on top of mine and kissed my forehead and then he led me to the bedroom, towards the bed. He moved slowly, like he wanted to savour every moment. He gently stripped me of my lingerie and shoes and then he stripped himself.

"Come, my Sookie."

He lowered me onto the bed and lay down beside me. His hands started roaming on my body again and his lips took hold of one of my nipples and I felt like my body exploded in thousands of tiny little pieces. His hands grabbed the sides of my breast bringing them together and he started sucking biting and licking both of them until I felt all my insides throbbing. My head turned from one side to another, my hands were clutching at his hair and my mouth opened in a vain attempt to breathe.

He threw a leg over one of mine and with it he spread my legs apart; one of his hands got lower and lower until it reached my mound and then he plunged a finger inside me. Stars exploded in front of my eyes the moment I reached my peak. It was like fireworks! My chest expanded with the air I didn't need, my hands hugged his head to my chest and my free leg found its way to rest on his hip. And then his finger moved. I didn't think that I could take more, but I was not going to stop him. His mouth resumed the treatment on my breast and he added another finger inside me. We moved closer and my hands gripped his back bringing him even closer.

His fingers were moving frantically inside me making me squirm in pleasure.

"Eric! Pleaseee…."

My plea remained unanswered while he was busy trailing kisses down on my abdomen until he reached my nub. I screamed my pleasure while he continued teasing me with his tongue. He kept me in place with one hand while with the other he kept plunging his fingers inside me. His tongue was lapping at my clit and another wave of pleasure hit me making my hands shoot bolts of light everywhere.

"Eric, please, I can't … please! Eric!"

Finally he took mercy on me and in a swift move he grabbed my knees parting them and then he entered me to the hilt.

"Oh God!"

A lighting bolt erupted from me hitting Eric square in his chest. But he didn't seem to notice it. He kept plunging into me hard and fast while I was meeting him thrust for thrust. His hands were on my hips guiding me and I grabbed his shoulders and raised my head to kiss him on the neck. He bent his head to kiss me and I returned his kisses frantically.

"More! I need more!"

He pumped harder, angling his head and then he bit my neck and I bit his. A sound of thunder penetrated my consciousness for a moment and then we were gone. We were light; we were darkness. Swirls of gold grew from my skin reaching him, circling him, caressing him and then entering his skin. Desire, hunger, need and love swelled in me, I needed more. All.

Power was rippling in our bond, flowing freely between us. His skin vibrated with the energy was entering him, the swirls of gold were imprinting on him, and his blood was filling with light and magic.

We were moving as one. We were united with our bodies, with our mind, our blood and our hearts. Power unlike any other ignited in me, making me weak and strong at the same time, feeling a pleasure unlike anything I'd ever experienced. My nails dug into his sholders and his fingers were tugging at my hips; our opened bond was growing, becoming stronger.

Litlle strings of light emerged from me and entered Eric, tying us together, bringing us closer. The strings increased their hold lighting brighter and brighter until they exploded and our bodies with them. It felt like dying, if there was such a thing as dying from too much pleasure. It felt like being born again. I collapsed on my back with Eric on top of me still shuddering from the waves of pleasure. We lay like that until I felt sleep taking me. And then I heard Eric whispering.

„Lover, I remember. I remember everything!"

TBC

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	11. Again Chapter 11

Many thanks to my dear Beta, All About Eric for her patience and support while writing this. She is the greatest Beta ever!

Disclaimer: none of these characters belong to me, they belong to Charlaine Harris.

 

I felt someone shaking me roughly. My eyes were so tired, I couldn't open them. The hand shaking me became more urgent and then I heard.

"Come on, princess, wakey-wakey. We don't have time for sleep right now!" I heard a woman speaking near me with a sweet lilt to her voice.

I woke up with a start. Right there beside my bed was standing a woman. A vampire…? She was a beautiful woman, short but strong, slender, with light olive skin, dark eyes and long curly dark hair. She was dressed in a long white tunic slit at the sides, with a blue belt, and tight pants on the color of the sand and brown high boots. She was beautiful.

"I am Meriel. The prince sent me."

The vampire-fairy. My politeness kicked in. I get up from the bed as quickly as I could and rushed in vampire speed to get a robe from the bathroom on myself and then I returned to Meriel.

"Hello, Meriel, I'm glad to finally meet you. I'm sorry for the…." I looked around me and I was shocked to see that the room was destroyed. With the exception of the bed every other bit of furniture was in pieces, the walls were burned and everything else seemed wrecked.

"Did you do this?" I asked her.

"No, I assumed you did. You mated with the Viking, didn't you?'

"Ah … I… Mated?"

"Yes, the fairy way."

"I have no idea what that means."

"Let me explain. Fairies have a lot of magic inside their bodies. When a fairy is in his or her true form that magic appears like a pattern on the skin - the pattern depending on the individual fairy and his or her abilities. Me for example" she started to glow and light blue patterns begin to appear on her arms, "this is how I look in my true fairy form. I assume something like this has happened to you before…?"

"Yes, it did… but it was somewhat different…."

"Show me."

"I don't know how."

"Concentrate on the magic inside you, the light that flows through you."

I closed my eyes and started to concentrate, to find the light that she was talking about. It was not as hard as I thought. The light was everywhere inside me but somewhere in the center of my chest was a light source that was pulsating the light through my body.

"I've found it," I said without opening my eyes.

"The light represents the fairy magic. Now, concentrate on getting your light covering your whole body, extend it on the outside."

I willed the light to embrace me and I felt the familiar tingling on my skin.

"Good work, princess."

I opened my eyes and looked at Meriel.

"I see now what you mean. The marks on your forehead that look like a crown are your royal marks, but your patterns are not usual for a sky fairy. Our skin marks are light blue; that represents the air - the sky people's element, but yours are golden. I have only seen this kind of mark once before, when I was very young. Queen Arwen, the prince's mother, had them."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that you are protected by the Sun. You are very special, princess."

I looked down at my hands and tried to wrap my mind around everything that she told me. I was special…. I didn't feel at all special.

"What about the mating?"

"We have a belief: before these times, when the Gods walked freely in all the realms, there were no men or women, there were just beings - spheres. These beings were very happy and lived in harmony, so the Gods got jealous at them. One day the Gods thought of something – they ripped the spheres in half and spread them through all the worlds. And ever since then, every half is looking for the other one to complete the sphere and become whole again. A fairy can have many partners, but when she finds her half she will mate and be with that one forever. When she mates with her half, all her magic will be released and flow into the other one and bind her magic to him. They will be together forever, perfectly entwined. They will live together and die together. It is a very powerful ritual."

"Oh my God! This sounds so surreal. I don't… I can't believe this! I am a Christian!"

"It doesn't matter what your beliefs are; this magic is inside you, part of you, and as a result you mated with the Viking."

"Okay, what does this mean for him?"

"He will be able to be with you always."

"But he is my maker and bonded, he was already able to be with me forever."

"Dear child, I forgot how young you are… You are bound in the vampire way, but that does not allow him to be with you in the sun does it?"

"In the sun? He can be in the sun?"

"He can be wherever you are."

"Wow! This is so much! I think he'll be happy to see the sun again!"

"Now that I have explained all this to you, you must wake the Viking so that we can make a plan to get you out of this mess."

I went to Eric and started shaking him.

"Not like that! I would have done that if it was possible!"

"Then how?"

"You must call to him through your bond."

I closed my eyes to be able to concentrate better and reached for the bond. And there, knitted with our old red bond were golden strings. I touched them lightly and Eric began to stir. I touched them again with more confidence and caressed them until Eric opened his eyes.

"Viking, we meet again"

He was on his feet in a fraction of a second. He was naked but that did not seem to bother him at all.

"Meriel. I was hoping that you'd find us" he nodded towards Meriel. "How were you able to get past the queen guards?"

"I popped," she smiled. „The queen does have some wards to keep the fairies from popping inside the compound, but I'm not just fairy, so it doesn't keep me away."

"That means that Sookie can leave with you?"

"Teleporting is not an easy thing to learn, it requires much time and energy, and we don't have the time to do it or the energy…. Well, I used a lot of energy to get passed the wards, and I am 1,500 years old and I have much experience; your little princess might not be able to do it and it could end in disaster."

"Is it not daytime?" he asked looking confused. "How can I be awake during daytime?"

"Daytime it is," she answered "but as I explained to your mate, last night she mated with you in the fairy tradition and now her magic is part of you. If she is awake during the day then so can you be, if she can be in the sun - so can you. You can be wherever she is, but you will not be able to do this by yourself, just with her."

"That is very interesting" his voice was very low and controlled but through our bond I felt his excitement." Very interesting indeed."

"Now Viking, do you have a plan?"

"As a matter of fact I do. I need you to contact my child Pam and give her this" he took his Thor's hammer necklace off and handed it to her. "She will know that she can trust you. Tell her to contact Krystle tonight and tell both of them to gather everyone who is loyal to me. Then you talk to the prince and tell him that in two nights we move against the queen. If he wants to help his great-granddaughter, now is the moment. I will await news from you tomorrow during the day. Now, can you do something about this room? The queen must not suspect anything is amiss."

"I'm glad to see you have not changed over the centuries, Viking! I will do what you ask and I will come back tomorrow. As for the room…" she brought her hands up and chanted something then her hands began to glow and the room looked like nothing ever happened to it.

"Viking, it will be an honor to fight by your side again!"

"Likewise."

And with that she disappeared into thin air.

"Wow. She's… so…"

"Yes, she is, lover." He smiled and came to embrace me.

He lifted me off the ground and started walking towards the bed.

"While we're both awake, how about I show you how sorry I am about how hard I've been on you, my love."

He lowered us onto the bed gently, still cradling me in his arms. I lifted my head to kiss him on the lips.

"I missed you, my Eric. I missed you so much."

We made love slowly, caressing each other, kissing every bit of the other's body, mumbling loving words to each other. Re-discovering the love we had when he was cursed. There was a hard time waiting for us, but right then it didn't matter. Nothing besides us existed.

Only our love.

TBC

AN: Please, don't forget to leave me a review, telling me what you think.


	12. Again Chapter 12

Many thanks to my dear Beta, All About Eric for her patience and support while writing this. She is the best!

Disclaimer: none of these characters belong to me, they belong to Charlaine Harris.

I woke up feeling a light touch on my shoulder. I opened my eyes slowly and the touch began to change, becoming more sensual, more erotic.

"Good evening, lover."

"Mmmmm, Eric…" I mumbled.

Eric's hand slid along the side of my body, caressing me until it reached my hipbone and then he pulled me towards him making me roll on my back.

He was lying on his left side propped on his elbow, facing me. He was so beautiful, so perfect. I reached with my hand to touch his face. His skin was so smooth, so soft.

"Mine!"

"Yes lover, I'm yours just as you are mine."

His hand circled my waist and brought me closer to his body and then slid up to my hair.

"I love you, my Sookie."

His lips come crushing on mine and flames begin to flow through my veins. My tongue began to dance with his in an erotic dance; and my hands circled his throat, caressing his collar bone with my thumbs.

"My lover, you taste so good, so sweet."

His lips left my mouth to spread hundreds of light kisses on my neck, going lower and lower until they reached my breasts. I gasped when his mouth caught my nipple, biting a little, licking a little, driving me crazy with desire. I clung to his head bringing him closer, urging him for more. I was turning my head from one side to another, restlessly, while shivers of pleasure and need shot through my body.

"Eric, baby, I need you! I need you so much!"

He growled in pleasure at my words but continued to tease my nipples switching his mouth from one breast to another.

"Oh, God, Eric! I can't…"

His right hand slid down between my legs and into my core and started pumping his fingers in me.

"Oh, God!"

I saw white stars before my eyes as I came.

But that wasn't enough for me, I needed more. In a swift move I knocked him on his back and climbed on top of him.

"Mmmm, lover, very creative! I like it!"

I planted open-mouth kisses on his mouth, neck, chest, navel until I reached my target. I circled my hand around his shaft and licked his length from the hilt to the tip.

"Yes! Sookie, don't stop!"

I opened my eyes to look at him and I saw him fisting the sheets in his big hands, his eyes full of desire for me. I took him in my mouth as far as I could, sucking at him as I pumped the rest of his length with my right hand while my left hand caressed his balls. Low growls erupted in his chest while I continued to pump him, lick him, and suck him harder, faster until he roared in pleasure as he came in my mouth. I swallowed everything he gave me as I continued to milk him.

His hand reached for me, caught the sides of my face, lifting me to his mouth. He kissed me for all he was worth, hugging me to his body, as if he wanted to bury me inside of him.

I straddled his hips and lowered myself on his hard length to the hilt. I felt so wonderful, so complete.

"This is good, this is right!"

"Omygoderic!"

He stood up to circle me with his arms and continued planting kisses all over my face and my neck while I tangled my hands in his hair whispering endearments in his ear. We started moving in unison, meeting each other with each thrust.

"More, Eric, please more!"

Unbearable pleasure consumed me, gathering inside my belly in a tight knot. Our movements became more urgent, more forceful with each thrust until we reached our peak.

"Eric!"

"Sookie!"

We bit into each other's neck as we came. The sweet blood of my lover filled my mouth as I continued to ride him. I felt like I had no weight, like I was flying. I licked his neck as his wound closed, as he did the same with mine.

"I love you baby."

"Jag älskar dig, min älskade."

He laid me on my back and positioned himself beside me still holding me close in a tight embrace.

"I missed you Eric, I missed being with you like this... I know it's only been a few days, but so much has happened... It feels like it's been an eternity sice we've been like this."

"I know, min älskare. Forgive me lover, for all you had to suffer on my account."

"It's okay, baby, I'm glad you're back."

I lightly stroked the right side of his face with my fingers.

"What will we do now, Eric?"

"Now, we should take a shower and get dressed because the queen will summon us very soon. We must be extremly careful so as to not give away anything of what happened, and if she asks me to open our bond and then punishes me you must act like it's really hurting you."

"Isn't there another way? I can't stand to watch you suffer. Please Eric, lift the comand you gave me to not attack her and her children, please!"

"Sookie, you will listen to me! There is no other way! We must wait for the others before we move against her. And you really think that she is so stupid as to not make sure that I don't lift that command? She is old, and devious Sookie! Do not underestimate her! Now promise me you will do as I ask you!"

Hot tears flowed freely from my eyes as I did as he asked.

"I promise Eric."

"Good, now let's take a shower."

We stood before the queen with our heads down while she was finishing signing some papers that a young vampire girl brought to her. After she finished with the papers, she raised her gaze, looking directly at me.

"You love Eric very much, don't you, little girl?"

All my insides went ice-cold.

"Yes, your majesty," I replied without lifting my head.

"I thought so! Northman, command your child again to not make a move against me or mine."

"Sookie, as your maker I command you not to attack the queen or her children."

"Very well, now strip off your shirt, Northman, and lie on the floor."

He did as the queen asked. My fists began clenching, my nails piercing the skin of my palms; my eyes burned with anger and my heart ached for my beloved. There was no evading this. It was going to happen.

"Now open the bond with your bonded child so she can feel everything you do."

"Done, your majesty." He turned his head towards me and looked at me intently. Ready for your part? I nodded a little.

The Berts came from the far corner at my left bringing some funny-looking silver tools and silver chains in their gloved hands and then they started wrapping the chains around Eric's naked chest and arms. He hissed and I fell to my knees crying.

"Please, your majesty, please don't hurt him."

She laughed at me and made a sign to her children to continue. They lifted Eric's jeans and wrapped more silver chains around his ankles.

I lowered my forehead until it reached the floor and started sobbing.

"Please, please, I'll do anything, please…" I continued to plead while the queen laughed at my efforts to end Eric's torture.

After they finished tying Eric up, they took some small silver spikes. Siegbert took one spike and holding one of Eric's hands he shoved the spike under the nail of Eric's little finger.

Eric roared. I felt a sharp pain at the sound and I lost all consciousness.

I was lying on the floor beside Eric. We were in the room where we had slept last night. I rolled over so I could have a better look at him. He looked burned by the silver, all his fingernails were bleeding and his chest and legs were covered in cuts. He had his eyes closed but I knew that he was conscious. He was in a lot of pain. Our bond was open now, I guess he didn't have the strength to keep it closed.

I lifted my wrist to his mouth.

"Eric, baby, you have to drink to get your strength back."

He opened his mouth but his fangs wouldn't come out. I brought my wrist to my mouth and bit, and then put it back in Eric's mouth. He opened his eyes and lifted both his hands to hold my wrist to his mouth and he began to drink deeply. After a while I felt weak and I tried to pull my hand from Eric, but he wouldn't let it go. My head started spinning and my efforts to stop Eric from draining me became weaker until he finally let go of my hand.

I lay back on the floor and I heard Eric walking to the fridge, taking a bottle and heating it up in the microwave. He came back to me and held my head as I drank down the bottle of True Blood. He put it next to us and cupped my chin.

"I'm sorry, lover; I took too much from you. You should have given me True Blood not your own blood, my love" he caressed my face with his free hand while still holding my head up with the other. "I was too far gone to realize that I was taking too much. It was sheer luck that I felt you weakening through the bond."

"It's okay, baby, I'm glad you're better. Does it still hurt you?"

"No, I'm completely healed. Your blood is miraculous, lover."

He lowered his head and planted a lingering kiss on my mouth. I lifted my hands to hug him closer.

"I never want to go through anything like this again, Eric! I would have rather endured everything myself than watched you suffer like that because of my stupidity."

"It's over now, min kärlek. I am healed."

"Why did they continue to torture you after I passed out? Wasn't the whole point to punish me?"

"It was. But they enjoyed it too much to stop. But don't worry, they will pay for it soon. Very soon" he grinned.

"The dawn will be here soon, I'll go take a shower and then we'll get ourselves to bed. Meriel will come during the day to let us know how many will stand with us and we have to be well rested. We'll have a big night tomorrow!"

"I can wash your back if you want."

"I like the way you think, my love!"

TBC

Jag älskardig, minälskade - I love you, my beloved

minälskare - my lover ( as in the person you love)

minkärlek- my love

A/N Don't forget to leave me some love


	13. Again Chapter 13

Many thanks to my dear Beta, All About Eric for her patience and support while writing this.

Disclaimer: none of these characters belong to me, they belong to Charlaine Harris.

This chapter is in Meriel POV and takes place the previous day- it continues from the moment Meriel departed from Eric and Sookie's room.

 

xxxxxxxvvvvvvxxxxxx

"Viking, it will be an honor to fight by your side again!"

"Likewise."

And with that I popped out of Sophie-Ann's mansion straight to my hotel room in Shreveport. Immediately I felt weaker - the wards must have taken a lot of my energy, but there was no time to rest now; I must speak with the Prince.

I took my cell from my belt- pocket and called the number I knew so well.

"Yes."

"I wish to speak with Niall, please."

"Then you'd better go to him, he's Home."

"I don't have enough energy for that, please tell him to find me, it is urgent!"

"Very well, I'll notify him of your request."

And with that the phone went dead. Rude much? As if manners cost money!

As I waited for the prince to call back I started tidying up the room - not that it needed, really, just a bad habit of mine: when I was nervous I cleaned up everything at hand.

I didn't have to wait for long, a few minutes later the phone started to buzz. I opened it and put it to my ear.

"Meriel! My underling told me you have something urgent to tell me. Has anything happened to my great- granddaughter?"

"My Prince, I'm afraid I have some bad news- but worry not - it can be solved quickly."

"Where are you?"

"I'm in my hotel room in Sam's Town Hotel and Casino in downtown Shreveport, room 303."

"I'm coming right now."

A moment later I heard a soft pop and the Prince was standing in front of me. I bowed from the waist.

„My Prince."

"Speak."

"Your great-granddaughter and her maker are being kept prisoners by the queen of Louisiana. It appears that Sookie read the queen's mind. She discovered that her cousin Hadley told the queen about Sookie's ability to read minds and the queen sent Bill Compton to procure Sookie. When Sookie realized that, she lost the control over her emotions and killed the queen's child, Andre Paul. So now both Sookie and Northman are kept in a silvered room in the queen's mansion. Northman is planning on gathering all the vampires that are loyal to him and moving against the queen. He is asking you, through me, if you are going to help them."

"Is Northman going to take the reins of Louisiana?"

"He is."

"I will help him. When does he plan on making his move?"

"The sooner the better, my Prince. He is being silvered and tortured. Every day counts. He is hoping for a response from you tomorrow during the day. I will deliver the message."

"Tell him that we will be ready tomorrow night, then. I can gather a hundred skilled warriors by then."

"I will tell him that. I will call you tomorrow to tell you his strategy. And we will need a witch - the queen's mansion is heavily warded. I was able to teleport there but I believe that it was only because of my vampire nature I was able to pass the wards - I don't think that any fairies can teleport inside."

"I know a trustworthy witch that I have worked with before, I'll contact her. You must tell Northman that I will be able to lift the wards by tomorrow at sundown. We can teleport inside the mansion and attack from inside, while the vampires will attack from outside - if we have a good strategy, all will be over by midnight. You must count the day guards and the night guards by then and send me the building plan by sunset tomorrow."

"Yes my lord."

He popped out without another word. As I said - manners. It was still too early to get in touch with Northman's children so I took a shower and went to bed. Staying awake during daytime was possible for me but not very easy, especially with all the effort it took to get in and out of the queen's house. And I needed all my energy in order to carry out all my orders.

xxxxxxxxxvvvvvvvvvxxxxxxxxxx

I woke up at sundown feeling revived and ordered room-service ~ a very nice B-positive redhead. It was time to go to Fangtasia - Northman's child should be there very soon.

I teleported into an alley near Fangtasia and walked to the entrance. A tall Indian vampire female was checking the ID's of the humans.

She looked at me and nodded a little. I nodded back.

"You are new in this area are you not?" she asks.

"I am looking for Northman's child, is she here?"

"She is in the back in the Sheriff's office. Go ahead."

I nodded again and went directly to the office where I knocked and then entered.

A slender blonde vampire with blue eyes sat at a big desk full of papers looking at me with an annoyed expression.

"Who are you and how dare you barge into my master's office like this?"

"Hello, I am Meriel. Are you Pamela?"

A spark flickered in her eyes before returning to her bored facial expression.

"I am. My Master is not here at the moment, I'm afraid."

"I know. You must follow me."

I turned to leave.

"Wait a minute, I'm not going anywhere with you! I have a lot of work here and…"

I turned towards her and slammed the necklace Eric gave me onto the desk in front of her.

"Shut up and listen, young one! I can't speak here!"

Her eyes widened as she looked at the necklace.

"Eric has this office swept every evening and there is an interference spell placed on the office that prevents others from listening to our conversations - directly or through devices."

„Are you sure?"

„Of course!" she looked really offended by my skepticism.

„Your maker and his bonded child are being kept in a silvered room at the queen's mansion. Sookie attacked the queen and killed her child Andre after she read Sophie-Ann's mind. She found out that the queen sent Compton to seduce her and deliver her to Sophie-Ann. Eric wants to kill the queen and bade me tell you to go and find your sister Krystle and together to gather everyone who is loyal to the Viking and prepare for battle."

I took a clean sheet of paper and a pen from the desk and wrote my phone number on it.

„Here; you must call me as soon as you finish so that I can tell Northman how many you are and he can make his strategy."

„Krystle lives in Washington and I can't get there and back in just one night. You have to go there yourself - you can teleport there and back very quickly and she can fly here by herself."

She looked a little envious when she mentioned that her sister could fly... hmmm sibling rivalry; how nice.

„Fine, give me back Northman's necklace so that she will know that I have come from him."

She caressed the necklace for a second and then give it back to me without saying a word.

„Where exactly in Washington does she live?"

She looked really embarrassed for a second.

„Forks, Washington. She has a little hut in a mountain side west of the city."

No wonder she looked embarrassed.

„Forks?"

„Yes, she ... she's picking up tourists coming to seek out sparkly vampires."

I almost burst out into laughter. Krystle sounded like a really funny girl.

„You must be careful; she's a little temperamental..."

"I can do temperamental, any day, any hour" I smirked "bye dear."

And with that I popped straight to Forks, in the woods near the city. Lucky me; I already been here on a trip, so I knew exactly where to teleport.

I scanned the mountain until I spotted the hut - it was a real challenge since it was very well hidden. I teleported to within a few yards of the hut and a moment later I was attacked by a small fury.

I dismissed the attack by grabbing her by the back of the neck and pinning her flat against the rocks at my feet. She struggled of course, but I was older - stronger – and from her position there wasn't much she could do.

"Good evening, are you Krystle, Northman's child?"

"I'm telling you nothing, you stupid bitch!"

"I was sent here by Northman to speak to his child, are you she?"

"Do you think that I'm stupid? Why should I believe a word you say?"

"I have Northman's necklace, which he said you would recognize - now answer me!"

"Show me the necklace first."

A tough cookie, this one. I placed my knee in the middle of her back and kept one hand at the back of her neck. Turning her face to the side I dangled the necklace in front of her with my other hand. She went still.

"Now answer the question."

„Yes, I'm Northman's first child," she responded in a grumpy tone.

I knew the answer of course but I wanted to establish the upper hand.

I let her go and she got up very fast and faced me. I had a chance to look at her.

She was a short woman- four feet eight maybe, dressed in black jeans and a black turtleneck shirt, with black hair cut in an asymmetrical bob, pale skin, almost translucent and very interesting blue eyes - they were dark, almost black around the edge of the iris and the color faded into a bright yellow around the pupil. She had a thick body with large breasts and I noticed a piercing on her left eyebrow with a blue stone the same color as her eyes. She looked beautiful and dangerous at the same time. Good thing she was on our side.

"Northman needs your help, young one."

"So why isn't he calling me then? He could have used our bond to call me to him; he didn't need to send you here."

"He can't call you where he is, you would walk directly into a trap. He is Sophie-Ann's prisoner."

"Sophie-Ann? That bitch is going to pay with her life for this mistake. Why would she do something so stupid?"

"His new child attacked the queen and killed one of her children."

"It seems that Eric's taste in children gets worse every time."

"He needs help to kill the queen and her remaining children; will you come to his aid?"

"Of course, I am loyal to him until my final death."

"Good. I will see you tomorrow night, when we will attack the queen's compound. You will fly now directly to Fangtasia and help Pamela to gather as many vampires as you can."

"Great, I look forward seeing my sister again.

Something from her tone made me doubt that last statement, but I said nothing as I teleported back to the office at Fangtasia.

Pamela was alone in her maker's office, waiting for me.

"I have spoken with all the loyal vampires around the area and we can count on approximately fifty. All great fighters."

"I will inform the Viking of this and tomorrow at sunset I will contact you. Make sure you all get to New Orleans undetected."

"I wasn't born yesterday, you know."

"You were, compared to me, child."

I popped back to my hotel room and looked at the clock - two am.

Well, I had better take a shower and get to bed. I am going to have a busy day tomorrow and all this teleporting has me exhausted. I feel really excited at the prospect of fighting again. It's been a long time since I had a good fight and a fight that involves the Viking is always good!

TBC

Many thanks to my friend BlackDeadOrchids for all her help.

Let me know what you think. I'm a sucker for reviews.


	14. Again Chapter 14

Many thanks to my dear Beta, All About Eric for her patience and support while writing this.

Disclaimer: none of these characters belong to me, they belong to Charlaine Harris.

 

This Chapter is in Eric POV.

I woke up to a feeling of need combined with nervousness and excitement. I opened my eyes and there she was: the most beautiful woman in the world. And she was all mine.

„Hello, lover."

I reached for her with my hand but another voice made me stop dead in my tracks.

„Good day Viking. There will be time enough for that later," Meriel smirked at me.

„Meriel, tell me the news."

"Wait, Eric… Is it safe to speak here?" Sookie gazed around the room. "What if they are listening?"

I rose from the bed and put some jeans on. Not that I was shy, because I was not, but my bonded child had some remaining prudishness from her Christian upbringing.

"My love, remember that you destroyed the room when we first made love?"  
"Yes, obviously," she replied, shyly averting her gaze, "but Meriel put the room back."

"Do you think she repaired the listening devices too? She is a thousand and half years old vampire - do you think that she would make such a mistake?"

"Well, now that you put it like that - no, I guess not."

I put my arms around her, hugging her to me.

"You have to put your trust in me, Sookie; I would not have survived a thousand years by making mistakes like that."

She hugged me back, the bond filled with love and trust.

"I do trust you; I'm just used to doing all the thinking for myself. Since Gran died there's been no-one else to look after me."

"I know lover, but that has changed now. You have me."

Meriel was staring at us with an amused expression.

"Shall we continue?" I asked.

"The Prince is with you Viking. He will bring a hundred skilled fairy warriors with him. Your child Pam will gather fifty loyal vampires. Your other child, Krystle, is joining her and they will all be here by nightfall. Brigant had me make a plan of the building so that the attack strategy can be more accurate" she poofed a map out of thin air and laid it in front of us on the coffee table.

We all gathered around and Meriel pointed out a little square to our left.

„Here is your room" she traced a line with her forefinger until she reached a bigger square „and here is the throne room where you will probably be taken as soon as the sun has set.'

I looked at the building plans, thinking out my strategy.

„Do you have a skilled witch for lifting the wards?"

„The Prince promised he will take care of that - he knows a witch that we can trust."

„Good. Here is how we'll do it..."

xxxxvvvvvvvxxxx

As we lay in bed waiting for the sun to set we looked into each others' eyes. She was my world; my life. I would do anything to keep her safe.

It was rather strange for me to care so much for another… In all my long existence I had never loved anyone as I loved her. I had cared for my human family, of course, and I did care about both my other children, but Sookie… she was something else entirely.

From the first moment that she walked into my bar and into my life I was strangely drawn to her, like a bee to the sweet nectar of a ripe flower. She was like a sun in my eternal darkness - she came with her shining smile, her feisty personality and her gorgeous body, turning my world upside-down. She had by turns amused me, made me angry, made me mad with desire and made me suffer for her sorrow. But after all that there was only one ultimate truth- I loved her.

I remembered how I had been in my human years - young and fearless, always looking for a good fight. My parents married me when I was fifteen to my older brother's widow, but I didn't care much for her. She was older than me and a good housekeeper, and I did my duty by her giving her six children, but my heart was always yearning for battle. I didn't know my children well; since they were still small they were in my wife's care until she died in childbirth. I remember that three of them lived still when I became a vampire… and after that, I don't know what happened to them. My parents probably took them and cared for them - that was how family worked back then.

I looked back at my vampire life… My Maker… Well Ocella was never a caring master - he believed in succeeding in your task or dying in the attempt. I was a good student and I adapted very fast to this new life. And to my maker's sexual habits… eventually.

Krystle… I saw her first in the XVIth century when she was the leader of a small band of outlaws. She was trying to escape the cruel laws and landlords of that time and she was succeeding! Fierce and brave - my first child was both of these … and I was very impressed by how well she had adapted as a vampire. We were never lovers…our bond was more like comrades in arms - we respected each other. I was sad when she took her own path, leaving me without my most trusted friend…

Pam… She was the best child a vampire could want: very loyal, with a very twisted sense of humor, a great sense of fashion, sometimes lazy but very competitive. We had a lot of sex when I first brought her over… she is a lot like me in that particular department - insatiable. But soon our bond took a turn towards friendship.

Pam and Krystle were both different and still, somehow, similar. Probably that's why they never got along very well. I hoped they'd get along well enough to fight together in this.

"What are you thinking about?" my lover asked with her eyes full of love, gazing right through my soul - if I had one.

"Pam and Krystle… I hope they get over their differences and fight together."

"You know… I never knew you had another child before Pam. What's she like?"

"You will meet her… she's a little grumpy - I think you would say - but she's a very good fighter and she is very loyal to me."

"Pam is very loyal to you, too. And so are all your underlings. I think that you inspire loyalty in everybody who knows you. You will make a great king!"

"I hope so, my love." I bent my head to kiss her hand. "I never wanted to be king, you know? I was always avoided having too much power."

"Why?"

"Because - like Winston Churchill said- ‚the price of greatness is responsibility'. When you are in such a high position you must consider all your subjects before making a decision - you can't do what you want but what you must. I like doing what I want."

"Then you won't be happy when you become king, will you?"

"Do not worry yourself, lover. I will be happy as long as I have you with me and you are safe. That's all that matters to me right now."

She touched my face and leaned in to kiss my lips sweetly. I kissed her back, feeling my dead heart stir inside me. This is my mate! Mine! I will do anything to keep her at my side forever. Sophie Anne has no idea what a big mistake she has made! She will pay dearly and so will that fool, Bill Compton!

I felt the sun starting to make its way towards the horizon. The sunset would come soon.

"Let's take a shower and dress, my lover. They will come for us soon. And Sookie," I looked at her intently as she gazed at me with unanswered questions in her deep eyes. „Be careful that you do not make the queen suspicious. Listen to my thoughts carefully, for I will you free you from my previous command not to attack or kill the queen and her children."

"I will, Eric, don't worry; I will follow your lead and I will not make any mistakes. I know how much is at stake." She smiled a little at her own joke but her eyes were very serious.

xxxxvvvvvvvxxxx

Four vampire guards came to take us to the queen. Sophie-Anne must have been crazy if she thought that these weak youngsters could keep me if I wanted to fight my way out. But, as a good subject to the queen, I walked between them, studying the corners and doors along the hallway; making my plans, adjusting them, bringing them to perfection.

Sookie was walking to my right, keeping her head down and casting a mental net to number the guards and their locations in the entire mansion.

'There are one hundred and eighty-three Weres, forty-nine humans and sixty-three vampires'

'Good, now tell me how many are inside and how many outside - picture the building plan and try to be specific.'

'The vampires are mostly inside - just ten of them are outside - two at the door and two at each of the four gates around the property. Inside, there's this four that are with us; there are two more at the door to the throne room, six are moving towards the throne room- one of them is the queen - twelve are inside the throne room, four are in front of the queen's bedchamber and the rest of them are on the roof. The Weres are all outside, they are surrounding the property, moving constantly and there are twenty humans in a room in the west wing - the one with the pool - ten humans in the kitchen, four are in the throne room and fifteen are in a room next to the throne room.'

'Very good lover, this will be very helpful in the battle.'

We arrived at the throne room where Sophie-Anne took her seat on the throne with the Berts on each side, Hadley at her feet and two vampires a few feet away from her.

We bowed from the waist and waited for the queen to acknowledge us.

"Northman, command your child again."

"Yes your majesty," I turned towards Sookie "as your maker I command you not to attack the queen or her children."

"You look better, Northman; perhaps we should have some more fun today because it is obvious that we didn't do as much damage as we thought."

"Your Majesty can rest assured, both Sookie and I learned our lesson." I said looking at the queen's face to see any sign of suspicion.

She eyed us both with disdain and sighed dramatically.

"Well, we will skip the fun tonight because I want you both in you top shape tomorrow. The king of Arkansas proposed to me and he will come tomorrow to discuss the specifics and I want Sookie to read his human entourage to find out if he is planning something against me."

"Of course, your majesty, we will be happy to serve you."

"Good. Guards, take them to the pool room, so they can feed properly, and then return them to their room."

We all bowed deeply and went to the pool room. I thought intently towards Sookie 'as your maker I release you from my previous command not to attack the queen or her children.'

'Got it, baby.'

'I really wish you would find another term of endearment, lover. This one doesn't really suit me.'

'Yes, baby.'

My face did not change its expression but I was laughing inside; that's my lover - stubborn to the end.

'Eric. Our vampires - Pam included - are already surrounding the walls of the mansion and there is a witch with them.'

'Prepare yourself - it will be time soon. We must feed quickly.'

'Eric…'

'We must be strong for this, lover. I will feed on a man and you will feed on a woman; not out of pleasure but out of necessity.'

'Fine, but just this once, Eric.'

'Just this once.'

With that we each chose a human and fed on them quickly. The human I chose had a rare type of blood - but it was all the same to me; compared to my lover this tasted vile. I reached for Sookie through the bond and send her reassurance and love and she looked up, meeting my gaze as she fed on a small, redheaded woman and then I felt her sending me love back. She forgave me. We finished feeding and I gave Sookie a small nod.

She turned towards me and gasped.

"Eric - there is a Fellowship member here. We must inform the queen quickly."

"Are you sure, Sookie?"

"I am sure about this one, but there might be more."

I turned towards the guards.

"We must go back to the queen immediately."

They looked at each other, considering the threat. Then one of them spoke.

"Are you positive there is danger?"

"Of course I'm positive, my child reads minds, or haven't you paid any attention to what the queen said?"

"Which one is the traitor?"

Sookie made a mental apology.

"The girl with the short black hair," she stated.

One guard took the girl and glamoured her and then we all proceeded back to the throne room.

We entered the throne room where the queen was entertaining her guests - five vampires from area three. A few human girls were performing some lascivious dances and others lay bare on a couple of tables.

Sophie- Anne looked angry to see us again.

"What is the meaning of this? Didn't you hear when I told you to take them back to their room after they'd fed?"

We all bowed again - this was getting really annoying - and one of the guards spoke.

"Your majesty - the telepath has discovered a Fellowship spy."

The queen looked pleased immediately.

"Did she, now? That is very good!"

She got up from the throne and commanded.

"Bring the spy to me."

Sookie stiffened beside me.

'Eric the wards are lifted, the communications are blurred, the fairies have popped to the established locations and Meriel is sitting at your right, cloaked. Everybody awaits your signal. Are you ready?'

I am a Viking! I was born ready!

'My swords.'

Sookie transmitted my order to Meriel and then I felt two hands fastening my shoulder harness with both my swords on it. After a second it was all done.

'I am ready.'

With a roar I drew my swords and cut the guard from Sookie's side in half and I leaped backward beheading the two guards behind us. Meriel took care of the other guard and then took up her position next to Sookie, protecting her from any stray blow that might come her way.

Dozens of fairies uncloaked themselves all around us.

The fight started! Sophie-Ann dashed towards the back of the throne where her escape hatch was, but there were two fairy warriors right in her path, preventing her from escaping. The Berts were one in front of her, one behind her, with their blades in their hands.

Sookie gathered her power and threw a lightning bolt from her hands that hit Sigebert right in the middle of his chest disintegrating him into millions of little pieces. I made my way towards Sophie-Ann swirling my blades slicing through heads and limbs on my way. Niall appeared to my right.

"Go, Viking, kill her!"

I shoved one sword through a vampire's gut, pulling it upwards until it cut him in half.

"I am trying, Brigant."

He remained behind me to watch my back as I made my way towards my target.

Excitement filled me as I made my way towards the bitch, getting closer with every hit, reaching forward with every blow and clearing the way with every cut. I was bathed in blood by the time I reached the bottom of the stairs that led to the throne. Sophie - Anne was hiding behind the throne with Wybert protecting her and Hadley screaming hysterically.

A bright light hit Wybert in the neck making his head fly across the room. Sophie- Anne screamed in pain as she watched her child's body disintegrating in a pool of blood and goo.

Her haunted gaze returned to the fight scene in front of her, assessing the odds. She realized all was lost, I could see it in her eyes as I approached her with both my blades in hands. There was no one between us now.

She looked at me with a surprised gaze.

"I underestimated you, Viking."

And with that she lowered her head, keeping her hands distanced from her body surrendering her kingdom and her life to me.

I lifted my swords and crossed them on her neck, scissoring them in a swift move, roaring my victory.

The queen is dead, long live the king!

TBC

A/N please let me know what you think. A few more chapters and I think that this story is going to end. Thank you.


	15. Again Chapter 15

Many thanks to my dear Beta, All About Eric for her patience and support while writing this.

Disclaimer: none of these characters belong to me, they belong to Charlaine Harris.

The fight began.

Meriel stood by me the whole time, protecting me from everything that came at me while I kept my eyes on Eric, focused on his every move. I killed the Berts with my magic and I didn't feel the least bit guilty about it; not after what they did to Eric. I actually felt I was entitled to do it.

I was changing. Where were my Christian beliefs, that I should turn the other cheek? I don't know when I lost that. I guess being targeted by a serial killer, losing my Gran, being staked, raped and almost drained had made me tougher. And this was not the first time I had killed someone: I'd staked my ex-boyfriend's maker a few months before.

It wasn't like I had become a cold hearted murderer - I did feel very guilty when I faked my discovery of a Fellowship spy and accused that girl just so we could go back to the throne room without having to fight our way there. I actually sneaked a peek during the fight to make sure the girl got out of there alive - she did. But I had no guilt for killing the twin children of the queen.

Eric fought beautifully. He was like a ballet dancer; he moved so smoothly, he struck so precisely, he leaped so gracefully - it looked out of this world and ... amazing. He moved towards the throne leaving a bloody path behind him; clearing his way, until he reached the queen.

Sophie died with dignity, or that's how I saw it. Even if I hated her for everything she done to mess with my life - in the end she died like a queen.

The minute the queen died a shout of victory rose, making it known that we had won the battle. The rest of the vampires and weres loyal to the queen surrendered, knowing that it was no use to keep fighting after her death. They abandoned their weapons and dropped to their knees.

Eric stood in front of them with his swords propped on his shoulders, looking beautiful and deadly.

"I am the king! Does anyone want to challenge my right to the throne?"

No one was stupid enough to do that, so now Eric was the king.

He and Niall retreated to an adjoining room to have a little chat while their men put the things in order around the mansion. I was very curious to know what were they talking about but as I made a move to follow them Meriel grabbed my arm.

"I'm sorry, princess, but I think it would be better to let them talk alone."

I shot her a glare and withdrew my arm from her grip and went to sit on a chair by the wall. Pam and Krystle came to me, each of them carrying big swords with blood dripping from the tips. They had led the fight from outside and they'd been pretty successful by the smug look in their eyes.

So, I finally got to meet Krystle. Eric was right; she was nothing like Pam. She was wearing black jeans and a black leather motorcycle jacket, both stained with blood. She looked the exact opposite to Pam in her beautifully clean pink pant suit and pumps, as if she was just coming from a school board meeting.

"Hi Sookie, did you have a good time tonight? I bet it was much more interesting in here than it was out there," Pam said, taking her weight on one foot with a hand on her hip, as if she was posing for a magazine. "Those weres don't last very long in a good fight."

"Hi Pam, I'm so glad you're okay, I was worried to death about you fighting out there. Have you met Meriel?" I asked.

"Sure we've met. Hello, Meriel."

"Good evening Pamela, Krystle, it is good to see you two again. Princess, have you met his majesty's other child, Krystle?"

Thank God for Meriel because Pam didn't look like she would have introduced me to Krystle any time soon.

"No, I haven't. Nice to meet you, Krystle."

Krystle looked me up and down, as if she was weighing me up and then she nodded a little. She wiped the sword blade on her jeans and then shoved it into the sheath that she wore strapped to her shoulder. She leaned against the wall, looking around with her permanent frown in place.

OK, so she wasn't very happy to meet me. I shifted my attention towards Meriel.

"So, what's going to happen now? "

"Now Northman and The Prince will speak with the Council and if the Council agrees they'll schedule the coronation very soon - maybe in a few days."

"Isn't that too soon to make all the preparations for a coronation? Or is it going to be just a small thing - not like they have in Europe for the human kings and queens?"

"A coronation is never a small thing, my princess. And the vampires are even more fond of traditions and etiquette than humans. But a state cannot be without a queen or king for very long or other kings or queens might try to take over. So they have to move fast and hold the coronation very soon."

"We might get attacked? Why didn't you say anything before?" I panicked immediately.

"I don't think that anyone would dare to try to take over Louisiana now, the Viking is well known as an exceptionally skilled warrior. Don't worry about it, I'm sure he has thought of everything. You should be more worried about what you're going to wear for the coronation ceremony," Meriel replied with a motherly look in her eyes.

"Yes, we need new outfits for the coronation ceremony! How could I forget about that?" Pam jumped into the conversation. She turned towards Krystle, scowling at her "This is your fault! You have a bad influence on me!"

Krystle looked at Pam with disdain and then looked back at the door that Eric and Niall had gone through.

"Pam, there are plenty of shops in New Orleans, I'm sure we will find something appropriate for the ceremony." I tried to reassure her.

"Suitable? I don't want anything suitable!" she spat back. "I want to be unique and glamorous, not suitable!"

She really had a problem with that word.

"Okay, come down, I'm sure that you'll outshine everyone."

"You will have to outshine everyone; you are the king's bonded child. Honestly Sookie, you don't take this seriously enough. Your outfit will be the most commented-on thing in the vampire community for a while."

"Don't they have anything better to talk about ? I mean, you live for so long, shouldn't you be more preoccupied by some serious thing, not a stupid outfit?"

Pam looked so outraged that I didn't continue. If she had been human I'm sure she'd have been panting right now.

"Sookie, you are almost as bad as her!" she waved towards Krystle, whose mouth was twitching. Maybe Krystle and I had something in common after all.

"I'm sorry Pam, I've had some very stressful nights lately, and I'm still concerned about what the Council is going to say about this. Maybe you can help me find the right dress tomorrow?"

"Of course I'll help you. If I didn't you'd probably chose something completely inappropriate. I have to talk to my Fashion Adviser to find a good boutique here. I usually buy my clothes from Milan or Paris, but there's no time for that now."

"Your Fashion Adviser? I thought that only Hollywood stars had Fashion Advisers ..."

She looked at me like I was dirt on her new pumps and swept a phone from her pocket, so I decided to change the subject.

"Are we going to stay here for the day?"

"No, the mansion is not secure yet with all the wards down, and it has not been properly 'cleaned'." Meriel explained to me.

Suddenly Krystle stood up straight and lowered her head. I turned and noticed that the door had opened and Eric and Niall were coming back. I ran towards Eric and jumped into his waiting arms and everything felt better. Niall excused himself as he had to talk to his lieutenants and left us alone - as alone as we could be in a room full of Supes with very acute hearing.

"Eric, is everything OK?"

"Everything is in order, my lover. You should have more confidence in me. I'm an excellent strategist," he smirked.

"I know you are. I just can't help thinking something bad might happen again."

"I won't let anything bad happen, my beloved."

He bent to kiss my temple and then walked me back towards Meriel, Pam and Krystle.

"Master." Krystle bowed deeply.

"It is good to see you again my child. Both of you," he said, including Pam, who just finished talking on the phone, in the conversation. "Sookie and I will go to my apartment now and I want you, Krystle, to supervise the search - anything that seems suspicious I want it out, and all the humans that worked here - I want them all interrogated and then glamoured into forgetting everything they saw tonight. You are the only one I can fully trust to do this properly, so I'm counting on you to put everything in order."

"I will do as you wish, Master." she bowed again.

"The coronation will take place in two nights, so Pam, I need you to take care of the preparation and find suitable outfits for me, Sookie, Krystle and yourself."

"Of course I will, I have already arranged for some outfits to be delivered here so I can take a look," she grinned.

"Meriel, I want to thank you for keeping Sookie safe for me."

"It was my pleasure to look after the princess. If you don't need my help with anything I need to go to talk to a fairy."

"I'm going to need you tomorrow night at eight. We will have a meeting to put everything in order for the ceremony."

"Of course, I'll be here. Good night."

She bowed towards Eric and me and headed towards one of my great-grandfather's lieutenants.

"Let us leave my love; it was a very eventful night and you need to rest."

I took the hint and said goodbye to Pam, Krystle and Niall and then we left.

Eric's apartment was located in a very peaceful gated community not very far from the mansion. It was the penthouse of an old but very well maintained building. The furniture was much like the stuff in his house back in Shreveport and so were the colors. I felt immediately at home.

Eric circled my waist pulling me towards him until I was flat against his body.

"I thought you said I needed to rest," I said, smiling and lifting my hands to caress his beautiful face.

"There is rest and rest, lover," he replied bending to put an arm behind my knees to lift me, and then he carried me to the bedroom.

We rested until the dawn took us.

TBC


	16. Again Chapter 16

**Many thanks to my lovely friend Jaxg who beta'd this chapter for me while my beta- All About Eric is on vacation ( I hope she has a good time).  
Disclaimer: none of these characters belong to me, they belong to Charlaine Harris.  
This is a bonus chapter for all of you who asked for lemons and for more Sookie/ Pam /Krystle. I hope you enjoy it!**

  
I opened my eyes and assessed the room I was in. At first I had no idea where I was; but as I looked around me I remembered the apartment Eric brought me last night to 'rest'. I didn't get to see much of it last night, so I got up to look around a little. Thinking of last night's 'rest' made me hungry- both for blood and for Eric.

  
I pushed Eric's hand off of my waist and got up to look around for something to wear. The clothes from yesterday were ripped in pieces, so I looked inside the walk-in closet and took one of Eric's shirts to wear. I knew I was alone- so dressing wasn't necessary, but it would be a long time before I'll get used to walking around stark naked as Eric did.

  
After I buttoned the shirt and rolled up the sleeves, I went to the door. It led to a long hall with doors on each side and an opening to the living room at the end of it. I opened the doors one by one and I saw a guest room, a library/ office, a pink bedroom (Pam's for sure.). The pink room was the only different colored room. The rest of the apartment was pretty much in the same colors as his other house in Shreveport and the furniture was similar. Well, maybe I'll put my mark on the design of his houses from now on. Everything looked great of course, but boring in a way.

  
I went to the kitchen which was furnished in red and black with white walls. Did I mention it was getting boring? It had white marble tiles on the floor. The kitchen looked clean and unused, which is exactly how it was, really. I opened the fridge and I found a lot of blood-bags, so I took one and I heated it in the microwave. I found a glass inside of a cabinet, filled it with the heated blood and I gulped it down. One hunger sated one to go.

  
I walked back into the master bedroom and went directly to Eric's side of the bed. He looked so peaceful laying there on his left side. He slept with his left hand opened for me to sleep on his arm and his other arm was hanging down as I left it when I got up from the bed. My fangs snapped down as I admired his firm and muscular body.

  
"Mine."

  
I craved him in a way I never thought I could. I felt so greedy, so possessive. I could understand now why someone would do anything for his or her beloved.

  
I unbuttoned the shirt and I let it slide off my body. I put one knee on the bed and caressed his beautiful face sending need and desire through the bond.

  
"Eric…"

  
He turned towards me and opened his cerulean eyes. He gazed at me with a look that could burn down a forest. His right hand went around my waist and the left one went to my cheek. He rolled me over him and in a smooth move he was on top of me.

  
"Lover, I find it very productive to be able to be awake during the day."

  
His mouth was on mine in an instant and his hands started massaging my breasts. My hands went around his neck playing with his golden locks for a little while and then they started moving down his back, caressing every muscle on their way. I loved his body, he was so… perfect. Almost as if he was made especially for me.

  
His mouth went from my lips, to my neck and then to a nipple where he licked, pulled and bit at it. At the same time, one of his hands found its way to my dripping folds and rubbed my pleasure center until I could stand no longer. I knocked him on his back and in one swift move I straddled him and took him all the way inside me.

  
He let out a growl of delight and sat up so he can kiss me and hold me close to his body. As I moved my hips to make him crazy with pleasure, he gripped them and synchronized our movements while his lips wandered all over my face and neck. I caressed his face, his shoulders and his back, trying to get closer to him with each movement of our bodies.

  
He grazed my neck with his fangs and licked the tiny drops of blood that escaped before the scrape closed. I felt my body shiver with pleasure and I started moving faster and faster as I felt myself get closer to bliss. Then he bit my neck. I felt myself exploding inside with pleasure and I bit his neck too. We drank from each other as we continued moving to prolong our ecstasy.

  
When the last shiver of pleasure was over, I withdrew my fangs and licked his wounds closed, as he did the same with me. We continued to stay wrapped up like that for a while. It felt so good, so right. It was as if we were one.

  
He caressed my hair and I looked up into his eyes.

  
"We should get into the shower, min flickvän. We have a busy night ahead of us and the sun has almost set."

  
"I don't want to go yet."

  
"I know lover, but won't Pam be here in a few minutes after the sunset to take you to boutiques to find the perfect outfit for the coronation? I think that you would be embarrassed if she comments on you smelling of sex, but it is fine with me. I love when you smell of my..."

  
"Okay, shut up! Let's go get a shower already!"

  
He snickered and got up with me still attached to him.

  
"Eric, don't get any funny ideas, you hear me? I really don't want Pam to smell..."

  
We were in the shower already and he turned on the water.

  
"Of course not, my love. What makes you think that I have any funny thoughts?" He asked me with the most innocent look in his eyes.

  
"The fact that you are still inside me and you won't let me down?"

  
"There's nothing funny about making love to you, min fru. I want to make love to you again before we get ourselves cleaned up."

  
And that's exactly what he did.

  
I was putting on a nice baby-doll blue dress that Eric found in Pam's closet along with matching lace underwear and some silver pumps when I heard the front door opening. The outfit was a little too tight, but I had to wear something.

  
"Sookie, we have to be at Madame Charlotte's in fifteen minutes." She announced as she walked straight towards our bedroom.

  
Good thing I was already dressed because I think that she would have taken me naked and wet to madam whoever...

  
"And good evening to you too. I'm ready Pam. Eric brought this for me from your closet. I hope you don't mind; but I really had nothing to wear."

  
"Yes, we have to take care of that too. You know my telepathic friend, you are so much trouble!"

  
"Yeah, yeah, I know" I said and took the silver purse and followed her towards the living room where Eric was still on his phone.  
He bent down and placed a gentle kiss on my lips and waved good-bye to me.

  
Pam and I took her car and she drove us to a little store that looked very expensive. Krystle was waiting for us in front of the store looking like she wanted to kill a few bypassers.

  
I got out of the car and went to join her while Pam locked the car and put the alarm on.

  
"Hi Krystle." I greeted her.

  
She gave a stiff little nod and looked at Pam as if she was considering staking her.

  
"Oh, spare me the drama, Krystle. You know you have no choice but to do this. You wouldn't want to embarrass Eric in front of everyone at the coronation, do you?" Pam rolled her eyes and led us inside.

  
A little woman was there waiting for us. She was thin, very dark skinned and dressed all in white.

  
"Good evening Mademoiselle De Beaufort."

  
"Hallow darling, this is my mistress, Sookie Stackhouse. And this is my sister Krystle. We need the best outfits you have for the ceremony."

  
"Yes, I thought I heard something about a new king. Anyone you know ma chere?"

  
"My Master is the new king. So we all have to look magnificent; but Sookie has to look even more so."

  
"You came to the right place, mademoiselle. Let me show you what we have."

  
"I want to start with the red ones." Pam stated while looking at the multitude of gowns hanging in front of us.

  
Then the circus began. They dressed me in red gowns, form-fitting gowns, princess gowns, gowns with long trains, short trains, no trains, until all I could see was red.

  
Then we went to the blue dresses; and then purple dresses. I thought that being a vampire meant that I could no longer have headaches. I was so wrong. I was seriously considering helping Krystle to stake Pam and be done with this.

  
Krystle found herself a place against the far wall and smirked at my struggle to get Pam to leave me alone.

  
Seriously, how many dresses you have to try on to find one that would be ok? Hundreds apparently.

  
I thought that all of them were great, any one of the dresses looked fantastic, but Pam was acting like she was possessed or something; 'Put this on', 'Take that off'. God! How many more dresses were in this tiny store?

  
"Maybe you'll like this one." The Madame told Pam.

  
Pam's eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas Eve who got the bike he wanted. So that was the one! Halleluiah for that.  
I put it on and I knew she was right, I felt like the princess I was. I felt amazing.

  
And so it was my turn to stay away and Krystle's turn to plan for Pam's final death in 101 ways. Payback time! Pam gathered some emerald green and some purple dresses, but Krystle growled at her bearing her fangs.  
"Watch it, young one!"

  
"Fine, have it your way." Pam replied in her trademark disinterested tone.

  
I smirked as Krystle's eyes turned towards me and glared at me. I lifted my chin and her lips twitched a little as she put on the black dress that Pam held for her.

  
Then it was Pam's turn to try on dresses, and I swear she tried on every dress that was in the store! I had to admit that she looked great in them all. She had that super-model figure that would look good even dressed in rags. Not that Pam would ever dress in rags. God forbid!

  
She finally decided on a beautiful gown that looked like it would belong on the Oscar red carpet and I thought that we were finally done. God, I was so wrong!

  
Now that we all had dresses Pam started to choose shoes to match them. After that, we had to buy other outfits for me and Krystle. Pam looked for every day dresses, evening dresses, sundresses, short dresses, long dresses, pantsuits, business suits, skirts, shirts, underwear, purses and shoes for every outfit. I have no idea why she didn't just buy the whole store and be done with it.  
We left six hours later and I felt like a century had passed while I was trying on dress after dress. I swore to myself to never go shopping with Pam again. But she was not done. We went to another little store. Krystle and I both groaned.

  
"Oh for God's sake, you'd think I was pulling out your fingernails or something!" Pam snapped at us.

  
"At least that would be a little fun!" Krystle snapped back.

  
"We all need jewels that match our outfits."

  
"And then we're done?' I had to ask.

  
"Then we're done." She slammed the door to the car and went inside.

  
We stayed in that store for another three hours. Apparently all our outfits needed jewels!

  
Krystle and I went to the car while Pam stayed to talk to the manager about insurance and delivery.

 

"If she pulls up to another store, you hold her and I'll stake her with my new Louboutin heel." I warned Krystle.

  
"You have a deal." She shot me a very serious look.

  
I hope Pam cares for her life and she'll drive us straight home, because I'm pretty sure Krystle wasn't joking.

 

A/N Min fru- my woman  
min flickvän- my beloved


End file.
